Exploring the Relationship Between Antenatal Care and Postnatal Care to Newborn Outcomes in Borno State, Northeastern Nigeria

Abstract

The Boko Haram crisis displaced people from the community leaving very little health infrastructures that cause limited access to health services. Since then, newborn outcomes (morbidity or mortality) have been on the increase in Borno State. This study explores the relationship between antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) and newborn outcomes among women in Mafa local government area, Borno State. A cross-sectional study assessed data from the village health worker (VHW) project implemented in Mafa LGA, Borno State from December 2019 through November 2020. Sociocultural and quality of care factors were assessed to determine quality of health care services for 1,641 women aged 15-49 who participated in the VHW intervention. Logistic regression was applied to the data to determine how quality of care factors influence newborn outcome. The study found statistically significant result between ANC and PNC with newborn outcomes (<i>p < </i>0.05)<i>. </i>Women who attended ANC while pregnant were 0.030 times less likely (<I>OR = </I>0.030,<i> </i>95% CI [0.020, 0.046], <i>p</i> < 0.05) to experience newborn outcomes than pregnant women who did not attend ANC. Innovative and effective ANC and PNC intervention programs, together with education/health promotion interventions and policies have the potentials to address the rising newborn outcomes for people of Borno State.