Health care seeking behaviors of pregnant women in rural Amhara, Ethiopia: a qualitative study of perceptions of pregnant women, community members, and health care providers

INTRODUCTION: in Ethiopia, increasing access to basic antenatal and neonatal health services may improve maternal and newborn survival. This study examined perceptions regarding antenatal health seeking behaviors from pregnant women, their families, community members, and health care providers in rural Amhara, Ethiopia. METHODS: the study was conducted in four rural districts of the Amhara region of Ethiopia. A total of forty participants who were living and working within the catchment areas of the selected health centres were interviewed from October 3(rd) through October 14(th), 2018. A phenomenological qualitative study design was used to understand participants’ perceptions and experiences about pregnant women's health care seeking behaviors. RESULTS: early disclosure of pregnancy status was not common in the study area. However, the data from the present study further provided new information, suggesting that some women did disclose their pregnancy status early but preferentially only to their partners and close relatives. Most women did not seek care unless sick or experienced new discomfort or pain. Some reasons for the low utilization of available antenatal services include long distance to health facilities, lack of transportation, difficult topography, and discomfort with male providers. CONCLUSION: despite the rapid expansion of health posts and deployment of health extension workers since 2003, there are still critical barriers to accessing facility-based care that limit women’s health care seeking practices.