Birth Prepardeness And Complication Readiness Among pregnant Women In Duguna Fango Woreda Wolayta Zone

Abstract

BACK GROUND: Every pregnant woman faces the risk of sudden, unpredictable complications that could end in death or injury to herself or to her infant. Hence, receiving care from a skilled provider has been identified as the single most important intervention in safe motherhood. Birth preparedness and complication readiness improves care seeking during child birth and obstetric emergency by reducing the delays in obtaining care. Birth preparedness and complication readiness includes planning for a birth attendant and location, arranging transportation, identifying a blood donor, and saving money. OBJECTIVE: To assess birth preparedness and complication readiness and associated factors among pregnant woman in Duguna Fango Woreda, Wolayta Zone. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Community based cross sectional study was conducted in October 2013. A multistage clustered sampling technique was used to select 578 pregnant women. Data were collected using pretested and structured questionnaire. Then collected data were entered in EpiData version 3.1 and analyses were done by using SPSS version 16.0. Descriptive statistics were computed to determine proportion of birth preparedness and complication readiness practices and other variables. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predicators of birth preparedness and complication readiness. RESULTS: Five hundred sixty nine pregnant women were interviewed, with the response rate of 98.4%. Two hundred forty eight (43.6%) pregnant women identified health facility for child birth and emergency, 103(18.1%) women arranged transportation, 308(54.1%) saved money for emergency, 62(10.9%) identified skilled birth attendant and 17(3%) arranged compatible blood donor. One hundred four (18.3%) of pregnant women were well prepared and ready for emergency. The multivariable analysis shows that primigravidas, knowledge of at least two danger signs during pregnancy, knowledge of at least two danger sings during postpartum, attending antenatal care and past obstetric complication were factors associated with birth preparedness. CONCLUSION and RECOMMENDATION: The birth preparedness and complication readiness practices in study community were low and knowledge of key danger signs was not comprehensive among pregnant women. The health care providers should advice pregnant women on key danger signs in comprehensive way. The government officials and partners emphasize on improving birth preparedness practice.