Abstract
Background Continuum care is a basic package approach for women to receive essential services throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, and it is critical for women and their infants' survival and well-being. Although it is an effective strategy for improving maternal and child health, it has not been implemented adequately in less developed countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia, where 55% of women have been dropped out from the continuum of care. Therefore, this study is aimed at assessing maternity continuum care completion and its associated factors within northwest Ethiopia, 2020. Materials and Methods A community-based cross-sectional study design was considered among 504 women from March 10 to March 30, 2020, using pretested and structured questionnaires administered via face-to-face interviews. To select study participants, a simple random sampling technique was used. Data were coded, checked, and entered into EpiData software (V. 4.2), then transferred to SPSS (V. 25) for further analysis. A bivariable analysis with 95% CI was performed, and variables with P 0.25 during binary logistic regression were entered into a multivariable analysis to assess predictors' independent effect. Results About 177 (37.6%) women completed maternal continuum care. Women with secondary education and above (AOR = 2.75, 95% CI 1.42-5.32), urban residence (AOR = 2.45, 95% CI 1.35-4.45), using ambulance transport (AOR = 3.96, 95% CI 2.19-7.19), mass media exposure (AOR = 3.64, 95% CI 2.02-6.56), and distance from health facilities (AOR = 3.22, 95% CI 1.84-5.63) showed significant positive associations with completion of maternity continuum care. Conclusion However, a higher proportion of mothers completed the continuum of maternity care in the district than Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey 2016 (9.1%); further interventions are compulsory to reach the acceptable level. Hence, comprehensive awareness-raising, education, and promotion activities at the community and health facility levels and empowering women in health care and decision-making backing to expand the completion of maternity continuum of care are necessary.
Highlights
Continuity of maternity care is a key program strategy that women have received as a continuation of care throughout the life cycle of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum periods and that promotes the improvement of women’s status and their neonatal health in the field of global health [1–3]
The study was conducted among a total of 471 women who participated in the study, making the response rate 94%
The odds of women who completed secondary and higher levels of education were 2.75 times more likely to complete the maternity continuum of care (CMCC) compared to women who cannot read and write (AOR = 2:75, 95% CI 1.42-5.32); likewise, women who lived in urban residence were 2.45 times more likely to CMCC compared to women who lived in rural residence (AOR = 2:45, 95% CI 1.35-4.45); the odds of women who have used ambulance services to travel to a health facility for delivery services were 3.96 times more likely to CMCC than those who traveled on foot (AOR = 3:96, 95% CI 2.19-7.19)
Summary
Continuity of maternity care is a key program strategy that women have received as a continuation of care throughout the life cycle of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum periods and that promotes the improvement of women’s status and their neonatal health in the field of global health [1–3]. Continuity of care in its time dimension refers to a situation in which a woman receives maternal health services throughout the life cycle of pregnancy, during adolescence, including family planning, education, nutrition, and empowerment of girls; pregnancy; childbirth; postpartum; childhood; and pregnancy. Continuum care is a basic package approach for women to receive essential services throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, and it is critical for women and their infants’ survival and well-being. It is an effective strategy for improving maternal and child health, it has not been implemented adequately in less developed countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia, where 55% of women have been dropped out from the continuum of care. Comprehensive awareness-raising, education, and promotion activities at the community and health facility levels and empowering women in health care and decision-making backing to expand the completion of maternity continuum of care are necessary
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
