COMPLETION OF MATERNITY CONTINUUM OF CARE AND ASSOCIATED FAC TORS AMONG WOMEN WHO GAVE BIRTH IN KENA DISTRICT, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA: A COMMUNITY-BASED CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: The maternal continuum of care is a framework that guides women's healthcare throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. By ensuring comprehensive mater nal continuum care, maternal mortality and morbidity can be reduced. However, in Ethiopia, the completion of maternal continuity of care is not prioritized. Furthermore, to the best of the inves tigator's knowledge, no study has been conducted in the study area to assess factors associated with the completion of the maternal continuum of care. Objective: To assess the completion of maternity continuum of care and associated factors among women who gave birth in the last six months in Kena district, Southern Ethiopia, 2023. Methods and Materials: A community-based cross-sectional study was employed among 592 randomly selected study participants. Data were collected from April 1st to April 30th, 2023, us ing a standardized questionnaire presented by an interviewer. Epi-data 3.1 was used to enter the data, which was then exported to SPSS version 26 for analysis. A logistic regression model was fitted and used to identify factors related to the maternal continuum of care, and statistical signif icance was declared at P< 0.05. Result: Out of 628 participants a total of 592 were enrolled in this study making an overall re sponse rate (94.3%). In the study area, 11.8% (95% CI: 9, 14) of women completed the entire maternity continuum care. women with secondary education and above (Adjusted Odds Ra tio(AOR = 5.3, 95% CI: 2.5, 11), autonomy in health care decision making (AOR= 2.4, 95% CI: 1.3, 4.6), having information on maternal health (AOR= 2.4, 95% CI: 1.3, 4.6) Early initiation of antenatal visit (AOR= 4, 95% CI: 2.27, 7.1) and birth preparedness and complication readi ness (AOR= 2.7, 95% CI: 1.5-5) were significantly associated with complet tinuum of care. Conclusion and Recommendation: In the study area, completion of maternity continuum care is very low. This emphasizes the immediate necessity for targeted initiatives aimed at enhancing the continuum of maternity care, while considering factors that can be modified. Particularly, interventions should focus on women's autonomous on making health care decision, early initia tion of antenatal care, and complication readi ness (AOR= 2.7, 95% CI: 1.5-5) were significantly associated with completion of maternity con tinuum of care. Conclusion and Recommendation: In the study area, completion of maternity continuum care is very low. This emphasizes the immediate necessity for targeted initiatives aimed at enhancing the continuum of maternity care, while considering factors that can be modified. Particularly, interventions should focus on women's autonomous on making health care decision, early initia tion of antenatal care, and the implementation of birth preparedness and readiness pl