Factors influencing postnatal care attendance among women aged 15-49 in Central Region of Uganda

Abstract

Postnatal care is the care provided to women and newborns in the first six weeks after birth. The postpartum period begins after the birth of the baby to 42 days after delivery(World Health Organization (WHO), 2013). The recommended time of visits is 6-24 hours, 3-6 days and 6 weeks following childbirth (World Health Organization (WHO), 2013). Uganda is one of the countries with a high maternal mortality ratio (336/100000). This indicates that 2% of all women that give birth die as a result of childbirth in the postpartum period. Also, neonatal mortality (27 per 1000) and infant mortality (43 death per 100000) live birth (Uganda Bureau of Statistcs (UBOS) and ICF, 2017). The main aim of the study is to access the factors influencing PNC among women of reproductive year age. The study will use secondary data. Secondary data on the factors influencing the utilization of postnatal care for this study was obtained from the 2016 Uganda Demographic Health Survey (UDHS) which was collected from May 2016 through December 2016 (DHS, 2016). All women age 15-49 in the households were eligible to be interviewed. Women were asked to provide information about pregnancies resulting in live birth during the 5 years preceding the interviews. Data on postnatal was collected for the most recent birth two years preceding the survey. Therefore of 18,506 women interviewed only 570 were considered who formed the final sample that was delivered at home as well as in the health facility in Central Uganda? Mothers that attained higher education (81.95%) were more likely to attend PNC. Then secondary (67.13%), and primary (50.97%) but only 41.38% of mothers who didn't attend school used PNC. There is a need to train more village health teams (VHTs) and also traditional birth attendants (TBAs) with more obstetric skills to ensure enough care is given to mothers during pregnancy. Encouraging mothers of all ages to attend PNC, by use of mass media awareness campaigns on radio, television, and community meeting among others.