Attitude and utilization of postnatal care services among women of reproductive age in the rural and urban communities in Northern Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: Low- and middle-income countries are disproportionately affected by poor outcomes of maternal and newborn health. About a 10th of women in developing countries receive postnatal care (PNC) visits within 2 days of delivery. To compare the attitudes of mothers towards PNC and to their level of utilisation of PNC services in rural and urban commuities in Northern Nigeria. Material and Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study design was used to compare attitudes and utilization levels among respondents from the urban and rural communities in Kano state, North Nigeria. The participants were mothers who delivered a live baby within the preceding year of the study. One hundred and thirty mothers each from the two communities were selected by multistage sampling. Data were collected from them using interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaires. Results: The attitude of mothers toward PNC was good in both the urban (93.7%) and rural (76.0%) communities. However, utilization of the services was poor with 15.7% and 2.3% of the respondents in the urban and rural areas, respectively, accessing the service. The husband’s educational level was a predictor of good maternal attitude with mothers whose husbands have formal education having 62% less chance of having a negative attitude to PNC (OR = 0.38, 95% CI [0.15–0.99]). Conclusion: To reduce newborn and maternal mortality, essential PNC should be promoted and supported in policies and integrated into existing health programs. Addressing social drivers for health in North Nigeria will ensure improved health behavior.