Knowledge and practice of essential newborn care and associated factors among women in Ethiopia: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: In developing countries, including Ethiopia the risk of neonatal death can be easily prevented and avoided by implementing essential newborn care with simple, low cost, and a short period time immediately after delivery. However, the problem is still persisting due to lack of adequate maternal and newborn care practice. Hence, this review aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of women’s knowledge and practice of essential newborn care and its associated factors in Ethiopia using systematic review and meta-analysis. METHOD: An intensive literature search was performed from PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, HINARI, Scopus, and Web of Sciences from April 1–30, 2021. Data were extracted by using a pre-tested and standardized data extraction format. The data were analyzed by using STATA 14 statistical software. I(2) tests assessed heterogeneity across the included studies. A random-effect model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of knowledge and practice of essential newborn care. RESULTS: From 1275 identified studies, 25 articles were included. The national pooled prevalence of essential newborn care knowledge and practice among women was 55.05% and 41.49% respectively. Secondary education (AOR = 2.75, 95% CI 1.62, 4.66), multiparity (AOR = 2.14, 95% CI 1.41, 3.26), antenatal care (AOR = 2.94; 95% CI 2.03, 4.26), and postnatal follow-up (AOR = 1.64, 95% CI 1.20, 2.23) were significantly associated with knowledge level whereas; primary education (AOR = 7.08, 95% CI 4.79, 10.47), urban residency (AOR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.65, 3.00), attending monthly meetings (AOR = 2.07, 95% CI 1.64, 2.62), antenatal care (AOR = 2.89, 95% CI 1.97, 4.26), advised during delivery (AOR = 2.54, 95% CI 1.80, 3.59), postnatal follow-up (AOR = 7.08, 95% CI 4.79, 10.47) and knowledge (AOR = 2.93; 95% CI 1.81, 4.75) were statistically significant with essential newborn practice. CONCLUSIONS: The current systematic review and meta-analysis findings reported that the level of knowledge and practice of essential newborn care among Ethiopian women was low. Therefore, improvement of essential newborn through the provision of community-based awareness creation forum, improving antenatal and postnatal care follow up, education on essential newborn care to all pregnant and postnatal women are very important. Trial registration Prospero registration: CRD 42021251521 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12978-022-01480-0.