Magnitude and Determinants of Postnatal Care Service Utilization Among Women Who Gave Birth in the Last 12 Months in Northern Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: The postnatal period is the first 6 weeks (42 days) following delivery of a baby. The first hours, days and weeks after childbirth are the most critical times for both the mother and newborn infants. Most maternal and neonatal deaths occur during the first 24 hours after childbirth. PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the magnitude and its determinants of postnatal care service utilization among women who gave birth in the last 12 months from May 1 to 21, 2019, in the Northern part of Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 413 women who had given birth in the previous 12 months. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Data were collected by using a semi-structured questionnaire adopted from UNICEF and similar studies Data were entered, cleaned and coded into EPI info version 3.5 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Logistic regression was applied to identify associations between explanatory variable and the outcome variable. Statistical significance was declared at p<0.05 and 95% CI. RESULTS: In this study, the magnitude of postnatal care service utilization was 37%. A live birth outcome AOR (95% CI) =5.7 (1.53,21.216), maternal educational AOR (95% CI)=3.3 (1.90,5.60) household income >1,500 ETB per month AOR (95% CI)=2.9 (1.20,6.70), a planned and supported pregnancy AOR (95% CI)=3.9 (1.71,9.01) and last pregnancy of facility delivered AOR= (95% CI)=3.1 (1.25,7.70) are positively associated with utilization of postnatal care services. CONCLUSION: The major determinant factors that affect utilization of PNC identified in this study include monthly income of household, last pregnancy birth outcome, educational status of the mother, wantedness of the pregnancy and place of delivery were significantly associated with postnatal care service utilization. To improve PNC service utilization and to minimize maternal and neonatal mortality, mothers should be made aware about postnatal care services.