Antenatal care and skilled delivery service utilisation in Somali pastoral communities of Eastern Ethiopia

OBJECTIVE: To assess maternal health care service utilisation and associated factors in Somali pastoral communities of eastern Ethiopia. METHODS: Community‐based cross‐sectional study complemented by qualitative assessments in Adadle district, Somali region, eastern Ethiopia, among 450 women in six kebeles from August to September 2016. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with antenatal care use and skilled delivery care use, controlling for confounders. RESULTS: About 27% [95%CI 22.8–31.2%] of women used antenatal care, and 22.6% [95%CI 18.7–26.5%] received skilled delivery service. None of the respondents reported post‐natal care. About 43% reported that they had no knowledge of antenatal care, and 46% did not perceive delivery at a health facility as important. Pastoral lifestyle, husband’s educational status, women’s attitude towards health care service and financial support from the husband were significantly associated with antenatal care utilisation. Health professionals’ attitudes, perceptions of institutional delivery, antenatal care utilisation and information about exemptions from maternal health care fees were associated with skilled delivery service utilisation. CONCLUSION: Improving community awareness of antenatal care, employing female health professionals and culturally adapted guidelines could improve skilled delivery utilisation. In a patriarchal society, involving male partners in all maternal health issues is essential to increase use of maternal health services and to decrease maternal mortality.