Husbands’ Knowledge of Obstetric Danger Signs, and Level of Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness and Associated Factors in Wara Jarso, north Shewa, Oromia, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: Most women have uneventful pregnancies and childbirth, sudden and unpredictable complications may happen at any time to any woman. Birth preparedness and complication readiness is needed to handle the problems. Globally, 830 women die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Ethiopia is one of developing country with 412 maternal mortality rate. However different intervention was made still mothers preparation for birth is low while the husbands are decision makers and control resources. Objectives: To assess husbands’ knowledge of obstetric danger signs, level of birth preparedness and complication readiness and associated factors in Wara Jarso, Ethiopia, 2019 Methods: Community based cross sectional study was conducted in Wara Jarso from April 8 to 28 2019. Using simple random sampling 593 study participants were interviewed The collected data were coded, cleaned and entered to Epidata version 3.1, exported to SPSS 23. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify association of independent variables with husbands’ level of birth preparedness and complication readiness at p<0.05, 95%CI. The results were presented by descriptive, tables and diagrams. Result: The data were collected from 593 participants, and 574 were completed the interview giving the response rate of 96.8%. The mean age of respondents was 36.5±7.8 years. Knowledge of obstetric danger signs of the respondents was 32.06% while level of birth preparedness and complication readiness was 22.30%. Merchant husbands (AOR = 2.272 (95%CI 1.153, 4.478), p=.018), living in urban (AOR = 5.550 (95%CI 2.211, 13.933), p=.001) escorting their wives to health institution (AOR = 2.217(95%CI 1.095, 4.487), p=.027) accept buying material and clothes for baby before delivery (AOR = 3.599 (95%CI 1.995, 6.490), p=.001), knowledgeable about obstetric danger sign (AOR = 4.957 (95%CI 2.726, 9.016), p=.001) were variables associated with husbands’ birth preparedness and complication readiness. Conclusion and recommendation: The husbands’ knowledge of obstetric dangers signs were low and their level of preparation for delivery and complication was also low. Occupation, residence, escort wife, accepting buying materials and knowledge were variables that were associated with preparation. Therefore, district health office, policy makers and planners and HEW have to work on awareness creation about obstetric danger signs among husbands and how to increase level of preparation among husbands