Maternal Service Utilization in the context of COVID -19 in Rural Jimma Zone: A cross sectional study

Abstract

Background: Ethiopia is one of the developing countries charatcterized by high maternal mortality ratio (412/100,000 live births]. The toll of high maternal mortality ratio is largely attributed to poor access and utilization of basic maternal health care services. The status of basic maternal health service utilization during the time of COVID-19 focusing on how pre existing factors are shaped with COVID-19 relatecd factors were not well studied in Ethiopia, particulary in Rural Jimma Zone. So the current study investigated the status of maternal health service utilization its predictors. Objective This study aims to assess maternal health care services utilization during COVID-19 in Rural Jimma Zone, Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional household survey data from ongoing (cRCT) and the study was conducted from June 28 to July 28, 2013, among women aged 15–49 years who gave birth in the last 12 months (July 2012-June 2013) in rural Jimma zone. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Descriptive analysis, Bivariate logistic regression with stratification analysis was done to assess the modification effect of COVID-19 as a co-variable on other independent variables. Results: The response rate was 99.8%. The prevalence of maternal service utilization was found to be 14.3%. The proportion of mothers who had ANC4+, institutional delivery and early PNC were 57.5%, 70.7% and 22.7% respectively. Covid-19 were found to modify the effect 10 variables; the modification effect of COVID-19 varied from history still birth (7%) to) marital status. (67%. Attitude of mothers to MHSU was found to be an independent predictor of maternal health service utilization. Conclusion: Maternal Health service utilization has been drastically dropped during the time of COVID-19 (14.3%); pre-existing factors were found to be magnified with COVID-19. Noticeably, there is strong synergy between preexisting factors and some of COVID-19 related factors.