Obstetrics Service Utilization By Women Of Reproductive Age In Tororo Main Hospital Tororo District

Obstetric care is a comprehensive program that involves coordinated approach to medical care and physiological support throughout the ante-partum, intra-partum and post-partum period. Its also defined as a dichotomous variable having once or more visits with a trained person during pregnancy and post partum period (Brown LD Catal 2010). The study was conducted in Tororo municipality, Tororo district Eastern Uganda about 300km from Kampala. The study assessed Obstetric service utilization pattern by women of that sub – county. In Uganda pregnancy and childbirth claims the lives of over 61000 women and 120000 newborns per year (Magnusson 2003) this can be improved through good and quality Obstetric service. The national Maternal Mortality Ratio is estimated at 438 per 100,000 live births. Around a quarter of women are assisted during labor by a relative or friend and one in seven mothers receives no assistance at all. While in Tororo district, maternal mortality ratio is estimated at 38% of all live births. This is attributed to lack of uptake of obstetric services by women in the reproductive age group (Uganda Demographic Data 2010). The study findings show significant statistical relationship between age of the mother, education level, marital status, religion cultural beliefs, accessibility and socio-economic status as some of the factors influencing the pattern of obstetric care service. The study also found out that the level of education had an influence on the number of times of ANC visits. The study also found out that despite free service in government health facility, the utilization is still in health centers with only 56% who delivered from government health facilities. Therefore there is still a need to sensitize the masses about the importance of this service