Post-natal care: a vital chance to save mothers and infants! Exploring barriers and factors associated with it: a mixed study

INTRODUCTION: The most effective maternal health intervention for enhancing mother and baby survival is postnatal care, yet it is also the most neglected service in Ethiopia. Less is known about postnatal care despite earlier studies concentrating on pregnancy and delivery service utilization. Postnatal care is the subject of few national and local area studies. Therefore this research aims to evaluate postnatal care utilization and barriers and associated characteristics among women in Ilubabor Zone and Buno Bedele Zone. METHODS: A mixed-methods study involving women who visited immunization clinics was conducted in Southwest Ethiopia. For the quantitative part, a cross-sectional survey was conducted between June 12 and July 12, 2022. The data collected through interviews was analyzed using SPSS version 26. An adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and p-value was constructed to evaluate the associations between postnatal care service utilization and explanatory variables. The usage of postnatal care services was determined to be significantly correlated with explanatory variables in multivariable logistic regression with a p-value less than 0.05. This qualitative study used two focused group discussions and two in-depth interviews to gather data from purposely selected mothers, and thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A total of 422 participants with a 100% response rate were included in the analysis. 234 (55.5%) of these underwent postnatal checks. In the quantitative section, postnatal care counseling and appointment setting, counseling on danger signs, and prior postnatal care utilization all demonstrated a statistically significant association with the use of postnatal care services (AOR = 3.6, 95% CI (1.47–7.23)), [AOR = 2, 95% CI (1.05–3.64)], and [AOR = 3, 95% CI (1.36–58), respectively). At the qualitative level, it was determined that the themes of knowledge and access were obstacles to the use of postpartum care services. Generally this study revealed that the Ilubabor Zone and Buno Bedele Zone have a poor total PNC service utilization rate. Furthermore, ignorance, conventional wisdom, religious activity, distance from facilities, environmental exposure, and waiting time were identified as barriers to postnatal care service utilization. To optimize this service, all parties involved should address these factors.