Abstract
Background Though skin-to-skin care (SSC) is becoming an important newborn care package at both facility and community levels in Ethiopia, there is a lack of evidence to monitor the progress at each level. Therefore, this study is aimed at quantifying the proportion of SSC at both national and regional levels and identifying factors that affect SSC uptake in Ethiopia. Method We used the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey data. The survey employed a multistage cluster sampling method. We included 7,488 live births in the analysis. The factors influencing SSC practice were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. We reported adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results In Ethiopia, 24.3% of mothers practiced SSC for their newborns (95% CI = 23.3, 25.2). The highest proportion was in Addis Ababa (63%), and the lowest was in the Somali region (14.5%). Attending 1-4 antenatal care (AOR = 1.51, 95%CI = [1.08, 2.12], giving birth at health facility (AOR = 4.51, 95%CI = [2.16, 9.44], and having female births (AOR = 1.24, 95%CI = [1.01, 1.54]) were associated with more odds of practicing SSC. However, giving birth by the cesarean section had resulted in lower odds of practicing SSC (AOR = 0.37, 95%CI = [0.22, 0.63]). Regions with reduced odds of SSC practice include Amhara (AOR = 0.57, 95%CI = [0.40, 0.82]), Somali (AOR = 0.51, 95%CI = [0.31, 0.83]), and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People (AOR = 0.64, 95%CI = [0.43, 0.94]). Conclusions The SSC practice was low in Ethiopia with a high level of variation between regions. In Ethiopia, maternal health service uptake affects the SSC of the newborns. Well-tailored community-level interventions are needed to increase skin-to-skin care practice among home delivery mothers.
Highlights
Though skin-to-skin care (SSC) is becoming an important newborn care package at both facility and community levels in Ethiopia, there is a lack of evidence to monitor the progress at each level
Thirty-seven percent of the mothers did not attend antenatal care for their index pregnancy, 69% gave birth at home, 32.4% assisted by skilled birth attendant, and 1.8% gave birth by the cesarean section (Table 1)
We found that attending ANC, giving birth at health facility, and mode of delivery had an effect on Skin-to-skin care (SSC) practice
Summary
Though skin-to-skin care (SSC) is becoming an important newborn care package at both facility and community levels in Ethiopia, there is a lack of evidence to monitor the progress at each level. Attending 1-4 antenatal care (AOR = 1:51, 95%CI = 1⁄21:08, 2:12, giving birth at health facility (AOR = 4:51, 95%CI = 1⁄22:16, 9:44, and having female births (AOR = 1:24, 95%CI = 1⁄21:01, 1:54) were associated with more odds of practicing SSC. The KMC is care of preterm and/or low birth weight babies carried skin-to-skin with the mother including early breastfeeding and follow-up [5, 6]. The World Health Organization defined SSC as placing the naked baby on the mother’s bare abdomen or chest immediately or in less than 10 minutes after birth or soon afterwards [7]. It is easy-topractice method but has a substantial benefit in promoting
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