Factors Affecting The Utilization Of Obstetric Care Services By Mothers Of Reproductive Age (15- 49) In Ishaka Town Council Bushenyi District, Uganda.

ABSTRACT

Background: The utilization of obstetric services during labour, delivery and postpartum period

is very important to save women’s and children’s lives (WHO, 2012). Utilization of Obstetric

Services in Uganda is very low with only a third of the deliveries being conducted under

supervision of trained health personnel. However these rates remain significantly low despite the

associated benefits. Consequently maternal and infant mortality rates are unacceptably high at

1000/100,000 and 100/1000 live births per year respectively. And hence knowledge of the

factors affecting it will help to improve its rates.

Objective: To explore factors contributing to the utilization of obstetric services among mothers

of reproductive age (15-49) during pregnancy, labour, delivery and postpartum period in Ishaka

town council, Bushenyi district Uganda.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 randomly sampled women in a

rural community in Ishaka town council to study the pattern of utilization of antenatal, delivery

and postnatal care services in the community. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection

methods were used. A questionnaire was administered to 100 mothers to collect information and

to characterize Obstetric care utilization patterns. It was then analyzed using Epi-info 7.

Results: The study Showed that utilization of antenatal care services to be relatively high but

most of the respondents delivered at home without the supervision of trained health personnel.

This poor utilization of delivery services was attributed to advanced labour and perceived poor

quality of the health facilities in the community. Although postnatal care was given to the

respondents, it did not include advice on family planning/child spacing. This package should also

include providing advice on child spacing and use of obstetrics services provided.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that the rate of Utilization of obstetric care can increase if

maternal knowledge on the advantages of obstetric care utilization can be enhanced as well as

improving the accessibility and availability of health facilities.