The Utilization of Antenatal and Maternity Services by Mothers Seeking Child Welfare Services in Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Maternal and child health has become a key indicator of both global and national well-being. This is due to the fact that pregnancy and successful childbirth directly affect every individual, family, and community at some stage in life. Nigeria is among the African nations experiencing rapid population growth. As its economy continues to expand, a significant health challenge confronting the country is its ability to effectively support and sustain the growing numbers of infants and mothers. This includes ensuring adequate healthcare services, infrastructure, and resources to meet the increasing demand for maternal and child health care. Objectives: This study aims to analyze the determinants of utilization of antenatal and maternal health care services among mothers seeking child welfare services with focus on the continuum of care for pregnant women during pregnancy and delivery, that is, the use of antenatal care services and skilled assistance during delivery. Methodology: This study used data obtained from The Institute of Child health at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki Ebonyi State. Descriptive cross sectional study and a systematic sampling technique was used; the sample involved 392 participants and data was collected using questionnaire. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23.0 software for descriptive statistics. Results: Out of the 392 mothers asked if they attend antenatal care 99.2% do attend while a meager 0.80% did not, these women did not have a reason for doing so. When asked if their husbands accompanied them during antenatal visits 73.7% said no while the remaining 26.3% said yes, however on further evaluation of consistency 36.9% were accompanied twice, 30.1% were accompanied thrice, 23.3% once, 4.9% four and 4.9% five times respectively. Conclusion: Numerous factors were identified in the study to directly or indirectly influence mothers' utilization of maternal healthcare services. These include the mother's level of education, the distance between their homes and healthcare facilities, the influence of family, friends, and spouses, and the perceived quality of care provided. Additionally, how women are treated by healthcare workers, the financial costs associated with each antenatal visit and delivery services, the level of support from spouses, and most importantly, the woman’s personal understanding of the value of antenatal and maternity care all play significant roles.