Abstract

Background: Utilization of antenatal care is very low in Ethiopia and there is also urban-rural disparities as more urban-women utilizing the care than rural mothers. Focusing on mothers who gave live birth in the past one year, this study has examined and compared utilization of antenatal care in urban and rural mothers and its determinants in Womberma Woreda, Northwest Ethiopia.

Methods: A comparative community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 930 randomly selected mothers who gave live birth in past one year in Womberma Woreda. Data were entered into Epi data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 software. Logistic regression was done to identify the possible factors associated with Antenatal Care utilization.

Result: In this study utilization of antenatal care was slightly higher in urban areas, 213 (69.2%) than in rural areas, 373 (64.3%). Utilization of antenatal care was significantly associated and higher among mothers in rural areas with the age of 30 years or older, three or more live births, had a history of abortion and previous ANC visit (AOR (95% C.I): 1.92 (1.16, 3.18)). Mothers from urban area who were government employed were more likely to the service (AOR (95% C.I): 4.30 (1.88, 9.81)). However, in both urban and rural areas, mothers who had a planned pregnancy and autonomy on health care decision making were found to be significantly associated and higher in utilizing the service.

Conclusion: As compared to government plan the level of antenatal care utilization among mothers who gave live birth in the past one year, both in urban and rural areas of Womberma Woreda was found to be very low. Even though the gap, i.e., utilization of antenatal care in urban and rural women was very low, there is a difference in accessing and utilizing the service in the Woreda.

Keywords: Antenatal care; Pregnant mothers; Skilled maternal care; Ethiopia