Experience of Pregnant Mothers on Preconception Care Among Antenatal Care Attendants in Sendafa Town Public Health Facilities, Ethiopia, 2020

Abstract

Preconception care is the provision of biomedical, behavioral, and social health interventions to women and couples before conception occurs. Today, there is already a global consensus to incorporate preconception care as one of the continuum of reproductive health services which could decrease 71% of unwanted pregnancies, thereby eliminating 22 million unplanned births, 25 million induced abortions, and 7 million miscarriages. It was assessed the experience of preconception care and associated factors among pregnant Women attending Antenatal care at public health facilities in Sendafa town, Ethiopia from January 01-February 30, 2020. A cross-sectional study design was employed among 617 pregnant women attending antenatal care in public healthcare facilities. A systematic random sampling technique was employed. Interviewer administered structured questionnaire was used. The data were analyzed by using SPSS version 20 and P<0.05 at 95% confidence interval was taken as a statistically significant association. The majority (525, 88.7%) of the women had poor knowledge and only 67 (11.3%) had good knowledge of preconception care services. Pregnant women who had partner support on preconception care service, previous history of abortion, and women diagnosed with anemia were significantly associated with the experience of preconception care services. An experience of pregnant mothers on preconception care services was low and the study found that the knowledge level of study participants on preconception care services was very poor. Health education should be given for all women in the reproductive age group on preconception care services and male involvement should be encouraged for the provision of partner support.