Effect of attending pregnant women’s conference on institutional delivery, Northwest Ethiopia: comparative cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Institutional delivery is the cornerstone reducing maternal mortality. Community-based behavioral change interventions are increasing institutional delivery in developing countries. Yet, there is a dearth of information on the effect of attending pregnant women’s conferences in improving institutional delivery in Ethiopian. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the effect of attending pregnant women’s conference on institutional delivery, Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: Community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 among 871 women who gave birth within the last 12 months (435: pregnant women’s conference attendants and 436: pregnant women’s conference non-attendants). Participants were selected by using a multistage-simple random sampling technique and a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Both descriptive and logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS V.23. A P-value less than or equal to 0.05 at 95% confidence interval was set to test statistical significance. RESULTS: Institutional delivery among women who attended pregnant women’s conferences was 54.3%, higher compared with 39.9% of women who didn’t attend the conference. Likewise, the level of well-preparedness for birth was higher among women who attended the conference (38.9%) compared with their counterparts (25.7%). Being knowledgeable on childbirth (AOR = 1.7, 95%CI: 1.2, 2.8) and postpartum danger signs (AOR = 14.0, 95%CI: 4.6, 40.0), and discussed with partners/families about the place of birth (AOR = 7.7, 95%CI: 3.6, 16.4) were more likely to institutional delivery among women who attended pregnant women’s conference. Whereas, among women who didn’t attend the pregnant women’s conference, being knowledgeable about pregnancy danger signs (AOR = 3.6, 95%CI: 1.6, 8.1) were more likely to institutional delivery. In addition, the nearest health facility within 1 h of walking and well-preparedness for birth and its complication were found positively associated with institutional delivery in both groups. CONCLUSION: Institutional delivery was low in both groups compared to the national plan, but was higher among women who attended the conference. Similarly, women’s knowledge of obstetric danger signs and preparation for birth and its complication was higher among women who attended the conference. Therefore, encouraging women to attend the pregnant women’s conference and discuss with their families about the place of delivery should be strengthened.