Abstract:
Maternal morbidity and mortality could be prevented significantly if women and their families
recognize obstetric danger signs and promptly seek health care. Eventhough promotion of birth
preparedness and complication readiness is a strategy advocated for reducing maternal morbidity and
mortality, yet there is scarcity of information to utilize them in undertaking effective interventions.
Objective: This study was conducted to assess the status of birth preparedness and
complication readiness practices and associated factors among women who had given birth in the
last 12 months.
Method: A community based cross sectional study was employed during October 12-18, 2013.
A two stage sampling technique was used to select the eligible women and data was collected
using pre-tested and structured questionnaire. The collected data were entered using EPI-data
version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 16.0 for analysis. Frequencies, proportion and
summary statistics were used to describe the study population in relation to relevant variables.
Logistic regression analysis was employed to control the possible confounding effects and to
assess the separate effects of the variables.
Result: Out of 447 elligible women, 440 (98%) were successfully interviewed and the mean
age of the respondents was 28(±5.4) years. Nearly one out of eight (13%) of the respondents
was well- prepared for delivery and emergency obstetric care. Maternal litracy (AOR=8.02,
95%CI: 3.96, 16.25), being primi para (AOR=2.17, 95%CI: 1.06, 4.44), ante natal care visits of
four or more times (AOR=2.82, 95%CI: 1.43, 5.58) and knowledge of at least three key danger
sign during pregnancy, delivery or postpartum (AOR= 2.95, 95% CI: 1.16, 7.51) were
significantly associated with birth preparedness and complication readiness.
Conclusion and recommendation: The prevalence of BP/CR, the knowledge of obstetric
danger signs and the proportion of mothers who attend recommended ANC visit were found to
be very low.There fore, focused ante natal care service has to be improved so as to to make
effective birth preparedness and complication readiness plan.
