Factors Affecting Utilization of Postnatal Care Services Among Mothers Attending Antenatal Clinic at Kampala International University Teaching Hospital

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The postnatal period refers to the first six weeks after birth. It is critical to the health and survival of a mother and her newborn but the quality of care for those who seek services is often poor and many women and their infants are not encouraged to seek care until 6 weeks after delivery. Therefore the purpose of the study was to assess factors affecting utilization of PNCs among mothers attending antenatal clinic at Kampala International University Teaching Hospital. METHODOLOGY: The study was descriptive cross-sectional, Quantitative methods were employed in data collection and 50 respondents were involved who were selected using a simple random sampling method. RESULTS: Most respondents 35 (70%) were in the age range of 25 – 34years, 35(70%) were from rural areas, 38 (72%) stopped in primary, majority were farmers 30(60%). Mothers had inadequate knowledge on the number of times they are supposed to attend postnatal care 35(70%), 40 (80%) knew need for PNCS although they had never experienced any abnormality in previous deliveries, respondents knew that there are some complication a mother can get during postnatal period like anemia 15(30%) wounds on the breast 12(24%), failure of the baby to breast feed 6 (12%). Health workers relationship with mothers was good 35(70%). 40(80%) delivered from hospital and most of respondents 35(70%) had support from their husbands, and family income for majority was fair 30(60%). CONCLUSION: The government through the ministry of education should lay strategies that will scale up women education as it was revealed that most respondents had stopped in primary 38 (72%) of whom majority ended up being farmers 30(60%) and services should be brought near to the people by constructing more health units in communities more so in rural areas