PREVALENCE OF POSTNATAL CARE SERVICE UTILIZATION AMONG POSTNATAL MOTHERS ATTENDING MITOOMA HEALTH CENTRE IV. A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

Abstract

Background:

The utilization of postpartum services is a major concern worldwide due to the great impact it has on infant and maternal mortality. The majority of perinatal deaths occur during the postpartum period. Postpartum services are those services offered to the mother and her baby during the first six weeks following delivery and it is a critical time for the mother and the baby. In Uganda, 74% of childbirths are attended by skilled health personnel, and 44% of postnatal mothers do not receive postnatal care (PNC) within 2 days after childbirth.

 Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a quantitative approach. A total of three hundred eighty-four (384) nursing students participated in the study and they were selected by simple random sampling method. Data was collected through research-administered questionnaires. Data were checked for completeness, cleaned, and entered in SPSS for further analysis. Data analysis was conducted by using descriptive statistics and a chi-square test to show the association between variables.

 Results:

374 participants responded to the study yielding a response rate of 97.4%. Overall study findings indicate that the prevalence of PNC attendance was (89.8%) and had attended 2-3 times (69.3%).

 Conclusion:

Few mothers in this study have attended postnatal care, which is a very low rate when compared to similar studies in other regions of the country.

 Recommendation:

Postnatal care service policies should be strengthened by educating health workers, especially the midwives who take the most part in the process of childbirth