Completion of the maternal continuum of care and its association with antenatal care attendance during previous pregnancy among women in rural areas of the Gurage Zone, Southwest Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The maternal continuum of care is a cost-effective intervention to prevent pregnancy and childbirth-related maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of completion of the maternal continuum of care and its association with antenatal care (ANC) attendance during previous pregnancy among women in rural kebeles of Gurage Zone, Southwest Ethiopia. DESIGN: A community-based cross-sectional study. SETTING: The study took place in 12 rural kebeles of the Gurage Zone from 1 April 2022 to 12 May 2022. PARTICIPANTS: Randomly selected 497 women who gave birth in the previous 12 months in rural kebeles of the Gurage Zone. OUTCOME: The outcome of this study was the prevalence of completion of the maternal continuum of care. RESULTS: Overall, the prevalence of completion of the maternal continuum of care was 15.5% (95% CI: 12.55% to 18.9%). After adjusting for potential confounders, having ANC attendance during a previous pregnancy (adjusted OR (AOR): 2.01; 95% CI: 1.07 to 3.76) was positively associated with the completion of the maternal continuum of care. In addition, having access to ambulance service as a means of transportation (AOR: 6.01; 95% CI: 3.16 to 11.39) and exposure to mass media (AOR: 2.43; 95% CI: 1.27 to 4.68) were positively associated with completion of the maternal continuum of care. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of completion of the maternity continuum of care was unacceptably low in this study. This result indicates that the women did not receive the maximum possible health benefit from existing maternal healthcare services. The completion of the maternal continuum of care was affected by ANC attendance in a previous pregnancy. Therefore, interventions that can strengthen ANC are crucial in the maternal continuum of the care pathway.

Low back pain and associated factors among obstetrics care providers in public hospitals of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Although the study of low back pain (LBP) among healthcare workers in Ethiopia is becoming common, it mainly focused on nurses leaving obstetrics care providers aside. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of LBP among obstetrics care providers in public hospitals in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. DESIGN: An institution-based cross-sectional study. SETTINGS: The study settings were nine public hospitals in Amhara Region. PARTICIPANTS: Randomly selected 416 obstetrics care providers working in public hospitals in Amhara Region, Ethiopia. OUTCOMES: The outcomes of this study were the prevalence of LBP in the last 12 months among obstetrics care providers and its associated factors. RESULTS: Overall, the prevalence of LBP was 65.6% (95% CI 61.5% to 70.2%) among obstetrics care providers in the last 12 months.Female gender (AOR 2.33, 95% CI 1.344 to 4.038), not having regular physical exercise habits (AOR 8.26, 95% CI 4.36 to 15.66), job stress (AOR 2.21, 95% CI 1.24 to 3.92), standing longer while doing procedures (AOR 2.04, 95% CI 1.14 to 3.66) and working more than 40 hours a week (AOR 2.20, 95% CI 1.09 to 4.45) were significantly associated with LBP. CONCLUSION: About two-thirds of obstetrics care providers working in public hospitals in the Amhara region reported LBP. The prevalence of LBP was higher among those who did not have regular physical exercise habits, had job stress, stood longer than 1 hour while doing procedures, worked more than 40 hours a week and female obstetrics care providers. Providing resting periods, decreasing the working hours of obstetrics care providers in a week, and counselling on the importance of doing regular physical exercise help to reduce the prevalence of LBP.

Knowledge and its factors associated towards the prevention of COVID-19 among pregnant women in Ethiopia.

Background: COVID-19 is caused by a single-stranded novel coronavirus that severely affects the respiratory system. The first human COVID-19 was reported in Wuhan city, China, in December 2019. Closing the gap and enhancing knowledge of pregnant women on COVID-19 prevention methods is crucial. However, the studies conducted in Ethiopia were inconsistent and non-conclusive. So, this review aimed to estimate the pooled knowledge prevalence on prevention of COVID 19 and factors associated among pregnant women in Ethiopia. Methods: The data were extracted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We accessed studies through electronic web-based search from PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. We did all statistical analyses using STATA version 14 software with a random-effects model. Results: Seven studies with 2,594 participants were included in this systematic review and the overall estimated status of assessment of knowledge towards prevention of COVID-19 among pregnant women in Ethiopia was 52.27% (31.60, 68.94). According to the region subgroup analysis, the highest ad the lowest estimated status of the knowledge is 85.34% in Jimma town and 19.01 in Metu town respectively in the Oromia region. Conclusion: This systemic review showed that only half of the pregnant women in Ethiopia had good knowledge about COVID-19, and urban residence was significantly associated with knowledge towards the prevention of COVID-19 among pregnant women in this review. So, the responsible body better strengthen their awareness creation among rural residents and old-age pregnant women.

Fertility desire and associated factors among people on antiretroviral treatment at a public health facility in Hawassa city, Southern Ethiopia.

Background: Fertility desire is the plan of people to have a child or more children in the face of being diagnosed with HIV and plan to a commitment to implement the desire. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Hawassa city public health facilities from May 09 -July 07/07/2019. Four hundred (400) study participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected by using interviewer-administered pre-tested structured questionnaires and chart review. The collected data were entered into EPI data version 3.1 software and then transported to SPSS version 20 for cleaning and data analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify associated factors at p<0.05 was taken as a significant value with a 95% confidence level. Results: A total of 400 clients were included in the study giving a response rate of 97 %. The overall fertility desire was 53.6 %(95%CI: 48.7%, 58.2%). Age, sexual practice in the last six months and discussing reproductive health with ART providers were significantly associated with fertility desire. Younger age was positively associated with fertility desire, age group (18-29), [Adjust odds ratio = 5.75 95%CI (2.85, 11.57)] , age group(30-39), [Adjust odds ratio= 4.71 95%CI:(2.55, 8.71)] Sexual practice in the last six months [Adjust odds ratio = 3.00 95%CI(1.46 , 6.16)] and counseling reproductive health with ART provider[Adjust odds ratio = 3.10 95%CI:(1.86,5.15)]. Conclusion: The prevalence of fertility desire in this study was higher than previous studies while factors associated with fertility desire were age, sexual practice in the last six months, and discussing reproductive health with ART providers.

Fertility desire and associated factors among people on antiretroviral treatment at a public health facility in Hawassa city, Southern Ethiopia

Background: Fertility desire is the plan of people to have a child or more children in the face of being diagnosed with HIV and plan to a commitment to implement the desire. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Hawassa city public health facilities from May 09 ­July 07/07/2019. Four hundred (400) study participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected by using interviewer-administered pre-tested structured questionnaires and chart review. The collected data were entered into EPI data version 3.1 software and then transported to SPSS version 20 for cleaning and data analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify associated factors at p<0.05 was taken as a significant value with a 95% confidence level. Results: A total of 400 clients were included in the study giving a response rate of 97 %. The overall fertility desire was 53.6 % (95%CI: 48.7%, 58.2%). Age, sexual practice in the last six months and discussing reproductive health with ART providers were significantly associated with fertility desire. Younger age was positively associated with fertility desire, age group (18-29), [Adjust odds ratio = 5.75 95%CI (2.85, 11.57)], age group (30-39), [Adjust odds ratio= 4.71 95%CI:(2.55, 8.71)] Sexual practice in the last six months [Adjust odds ratio = 3.00 95%1.46, 6.16)] and counseling reproductive health with ART provider [Adjust odds ratio = 3.10 95%CI:(1.86,5.15)] Conclusion: The prevalence of fertility desire in this study was higher than previous studies while factors associated with fertility desire were age, sexual practice in the last six months, and discussing reproductive health with ART providers