Maternity continuum of care and its determinants among mothers who gave birth in Legambo district, South Wollo, northeast Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Maternity continuum of care is the continuity of maternity health care services that a woman uses for antenatal care, skill birth attendant, and postnatal care. Maternal and child mortality is still big challenge in Ethiopia. Little is known about continuum of maternity care in Ethiopia and where the study area in the district revealed that there is a big discrepancy in the completion of maternity care. OBJECTIVE: Assessment of maternity continuum of care and associated factors among mothers who gave birth in Legambo district, South, Wollo, and northeast Ethiopia. METHOD: A community‐based cross‐sectional study design was conducted among 732 mothers from Feb‐Mar 2020. Multistage sampling was used and data were collected through face‐to‐face interviewer‐administered semi‐structured questionnaire. Completed data were entered using Epi‐Data version 3.1, cleaned, and analyzed using SPSS version 25 Statistical Software. Descriptive statistics using Frequency, proportion, summary measures were done. Binary logistic regressions were and model fitness was checked by Hosmer and Lemeshow test which was not significant. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted and P value less than .05 and adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was considered as statistically significant. RESULT: The prevalence of maternity continuum of care among mother was found 11.2% (95%, CI: 9.0‐13.8). Residence (AOR:1.837, CI:1.026‐3.288), planned pregnancy (AOR: 2.448, CI:1.361‐4.403), prepregnancy contraceptive utilization (AOR: 2.721, CI:1.469‐5.042), follow mass media (AOR: 2.33, CI:1.146‐4.736) and mother health care decision making autonomy (AOR: 3.712, CI:1.924‐7.161) were determinant factors to continuum of maternity care. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of maternity continuum of care in the district was low. Information education and counseling about continuum of care are still crucial. Awareness creation for both clients and care provider will improve the service. Efforts on improving and cultivating those significant factors should be done by stakeholders.