TITLE:
Factors Affecting the Utilization of Antenatal Care among Married Women of Reproductive Age in Merca, Lower Shebelle, Somalia
AUTHORS:
Ahmed Sheik Abdullahi Osman, Mohamed Ali Ahmed, Mohamed Hassan Mohamed, Predrag Ilić, Mubarick Nungbaso Asumah
KEYWORDS:
Antenatal Care, Pregnant Women, Utilization, Reproductive Age
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.10 No.11,
November
21,
2022
ABSTRACT: Worldwide more than thousands of women and new born are at the danger of die from pregnancy and child delivery complications. Antenatal care (ANC)/ pregnancy care is the health care where expecting mothers and new born receive medical care or medical attention. The aim of this study is to examine factors affecting the utilization of antenatal care among married women of reproductive age in Merca, lower Shebelle, Somalia. Methodology: This is a descriptive cross-sectional and qualitative study design that was carried out from June to August 2022 and this study was carried out in Merca, district lower Shabelle, Somalia. Data were collected from 325 married women of reproductive age who have at least one child and more than living in Merca district. Result: Our study found that the magnitude of antenatal care uptake was 31.1% during the examined period. Very low utilization of antenatal care in Somali women is worrying in the face of high vulnerability of maternal complications. In terms of age diverse and utilization of antenatal care, women in younger age group 15 - 30 were more to utilize antenatal care services than with women in older age group 31 years above (p-value