Utilisation Of Antenatal Care Services By Women Of Reproductive Age (15-49) At Ishaka Town Council, Ishaka Bushenyi District, Western Uganda.

Abstract

Globally, an estimated 211 million pregnancies and 136 million births occur every year. While they are natural and usual processes, pregnancy and childbirth put every woman at risk of complications. Improving utilization of antenatal care is a critical strategy for reducing the high mortality rate and achievement of the Millennium Development Goal of decreasing the maternal mortality ratio (MMR). While overall utilization has increased recently in Uganda, disparity in access, practices and attitude remain a big challenge. This study aimed to assess utilization of antenatal care in peri-urban residents of Ishaka Bushenyi women and identify factors associated with early and late utilization of ANC services. A cross sectional study was conducted within Ishaka town among women of reproductive age to determine the utilization of ANC services among this population. The study enrolled 100, age 15-49 years grouped by interval of 5 and the median class of the age of mothers who participated was 30-34. And showed that 95% of the mothers within the periurban areas of Ishaka town had attended ANC services at least once, and 5% had not attended ANC services during their pregnancy. Of those who attended ANC, 54.73% of the mothers attended their first ANC at 1-3 months of pregnancy and this was associated with higher level of education and middle aged mothers. From the above results, this study concluded that the utilization of ANC services by women of reproductive age (15-49) at Ishaka town council, Ishaka Bushenyi district, western Uganda was poor marked by low ANC attendance, late and underutilization of ANC services. And finally, it recommended that: The community leaders within Ishaka town council should mobilize the local communities especially mothers of reproductive age to utilize the ANC services from a formal health center or hospital, providers of ANC services should create awareness to increase demands for ANC services among women of reproductive age in Ishaka Town council and for another study of a similar setting with a larger scope which should be undertaken to determine the factors hindering attendance of ANC among women of reproductive age at Ishaka Town.