KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND HEALTH SEEKING ACTION OF PREGNANT WOMEN ABOUT OBSTETRIC DANGER SIGNS AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AT ANE DIMA HEALTH CENTER, BURAYU, OROMIA REGION, ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

Abstract Introduction The global maternal mortality rate in 2020 was 152/100000 live births from which complications of pregnancy and delivery account majority of the cases(1).In Africa especially in Sub-Saharan Region with of the figure is 546 maternal deaths in 100,000 live births(1).In Ethiopia the maternal mortality was very high,676 mothers died per 100,000 live births in 2011 currently declining to 401/100,00 live births in 2017. Globally more than two third of the maternal deaths are caused by complications related with pregnancy(2). Complications related with obstetrics account for half of the maternal mortality rates in Ethiopia(3).This obstetric complications can be minimized by recognizing obstetric danger signs and taking appropriate measures and cares in institutions(4). Ane Dima health center is one of the 16 catchment health centers of SPHMMC and currently it is serving the populations of Burayu town including emergency obstetric service by receiving referrals from Burayu,Gefersa Guje and Hacaluu Hundessa health centers. From the catchment health centers of SPHMMC, most obstetric complications are from referrals to this area and this study tried to identify the root cause of the problem for a better maternal care. Objective - To assess the level of knowledge,attitude and health seeking actions about obstetric danger signs and associated factors among women attending antenatal care at Ane Dima H.C and to use it as the predictor for early identification and prevention of obstetric complications. Methods-A cross sectional study was conducted among 409 pregnant mothers attending ANC care at Ane Dima H.C from April 1/2023 to June 30/2023.Every four mothers from their ANC care registration was selected by systematic random sampling for interview after identifying the first mother by random sampling method from the mothers who came in the first day of the study period. The data was sorted, organized and entered to SPSS version 23 for analysis. Results-The level of knowledge in this study was 50%. The level of good attitude in this study was 91% and 88.3% of them had good health-seeking practices. Vaginal bleeding was the most frequently mentioned obstetric danger sign 64.1% and 61.2% in the antepartum, and intrapartum periods respectively, and foul smelly vaginal discharge in the post-partum period 51.2%. 4 Conclusion This study showed that the level of knowledge about obstetric danger signs among pregnant mothers was low and more emphasis should be given to the quality of antenatal care counseling to improve the quality of care towards women in particular and maternal mortality at large.