Abstract:
Background: Adverse perinatal outcome encompasses complications during pregnancy,
labor, and delivery affecting maternal and neonatal health. While antenatal care reduces these
risks by detecting and managing complications early, developing countries still face higher
rates of adverse outcomes, necessitating improved interventions. Thus, WHO introduced a
new eight contact antenatal care model to enhance positive pregnancy outcomes. However,
research on its effectiveness in reducing adverse perinatal outcomes in in study area is
lacking. Thus, this study aimed to assess its effect in Jimma Town Health Facilities.
Objective: To assess the effect of eight antenatal care contacts on adverse perinatal outcomes
among postnatal mothers in Jimma Town public health facilities, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2024
Methods: A facility-based retrospective cross-sectional study design was conducted from
Sept 1 to 30, 2024 among 420 mothers who delivered in Jimma Town public health facilities.
Data were collected through structured questionnaire and medical record reviews. Data
quality checked through pre-test, training was provided to data collectors, and assigning
supervisor. The data were entered, and coded into Epidata 4.2. and exported to SPSS version
27 for further analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses was used and
RR/OR with 95% confidence interval was used to measure strength of association.
Results: The prevalence of adverse perinatal outcome among women with 8 ANC contact
was 14.7% vs 23.7 in those without 8 ANC contacts. Multivariable analysis showed that
having eight ANC contacts resulted a 39% reduction in the odds of adverse perinatal
outcomes (AOR=0.61, 95% CI: 0.49–0.71). positive predictors like primiparity [AOR =
1.478 (95%CI: 1.224-1.872)], unplanned pregnancy [AOR= 2.39 (95%CI: 1.21-3.23], and
negative predictors like college or higher education [AOR = 0.453(95% CI: 0.289-0.571)], an
income of 10000 ETB or more [AOR = 0.41 (95% CI: 0.21-0.52), and place of ANC follow-
up in hospital [AOR = 0.46 (0.29-0.56)] were identified.
Conclusion and recommendation: Completion of eight ANC contacts significantly reduced
the risk of adverse outcomes. Strengthening eight ANC contact should be prioritized by
health care providers and local health authorities to enhance positive perinatal outcomes
