BIRTH PREPAREDNESS, COMPLICATION READINESS AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CLINIC OF HARARI REGION PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITIES, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background:A majority of maternal deaths are considered preventable, if pregnant women are prepared for birth and complications and have timely access to appropriate interventions when obstetric complications occur. Objective: To assess birth preparedness, complication readiness and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care services at public health facilities in Harari Region, Ethiopia, 2018. Methods:A Facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted using data collected from randomly selected 419 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic from April 02, 2018 to Augest 31, 2018. Structured pretested interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were coded, entered on to EPI Data version 3.0, and exported to SPSS version 20 computer software for analysis. Bivariateand multivariate analysis was performed to assess the association between each independent and dependent variable. All variables with p-value of less than 0.25 were entered into multivariate analysis to control for all possible confounders and to identify factors associated with birth preparedness and complication readiness. Odds Ratios along with 95% Confidence intervals were constructed tomeasure the strength of the association and level of statistical significance was set at 0.05. Results:Birth preparedness and complication readiness was 210(52.1%), 95% CI: (47.2%, 56.9%). Women who whose age was 35 and above (AOR=3.62, 95% CI: 1.95, 10.96). Women who were urban residence (AOR=3.61, 95% CI: 1.46, 8.96), women who planned to get pregnancy (AOR=3.64, 95% CI: 2.17, 6.09), women who heared term BPCR (AOR=1.77, 95% CI: 1.08, 2.92), knowledge about obstetric danger sign during pregnancy (AOR=3.27, 95% CI: 1.88, 5.69) and knowledge about obstetric danger sign during child birth(AOR=6.10, 95% CI: 2.60, 14.31) were found to be significantly associated with birth preparedness and complication readiness. Conclusion and Recommendation: The status of Birth preparedness and complication readiness was 52.1%, Maternal age ≥35, urban residence, planned pregnancy, heared term BPCR, knowledge of obstetric danger sign during pregnancy and during childbirth were significantly associated with birth prepares and complication readiness. there for maternal health care provider in collaboration with health extention workershould work on information about BPCR and inhance their knowledge about danger sign during pregnancy and child birth. further morerural residence and unplanned pregnancy need to get more attention.