Socio-demographic characteristic
In this study, a total of 669 participants had fully responded to the questionnaire making a response rate of 98.3%. The mean age of the respondents was 25.59 with the standard deviation of ±2. 89years. The study participants were predominantly Oromo 547 (81.8%) and protestant 353 (52.8) by their ethnicity and religion respectively. The majority of participants 572 (85.5%) were married and 249 (37.2%) of women were housewives. 272 (40.7%) were getting a monthly income of less than one thousand five hundred Birr (Table 1)
Past Obstetrics characteristics
In this study, 479 (71.6%) of the participants had at least one pregnancy (14.7% multiparous). Majority 349 (72.8%) of participants visited health facilities for ANC service at least once, for their recent pregnancy. Among mothers who attained ANC for their last pregnancy 42 (6.2%) were attained 4 and more times, whereas, 135 (19.5%) and 172 (28%) were attained 2-3 and one times respectively. Three hundred fifty 73.1% of study participants delivered the recent child at health facility (i.e. Health center or hospital), whereas their counterparts delivered outside health facility. However, only 179 (37.4%) of them visited health facilities for postnatal care.
Knowledge of PCC among reproductive age group women
Among the total of 669 participants, only 148 (22.1%) of women have heard about PCC before and the majority of them 521 (77.9%) didn’t hear. For those who have heard about PCC; the major source of information was health workers 54 (8.1%). Fifty two (7.8%), 28 (4.2%) and 14 (2.1%) of them have heard from the mass media, school and family/relatives respectively. The minimum and maximum score of participants was 1 and 20 respectively. More than half of the study participants 490 (73.2%) had inadequate knowledge and only 179 (26.8%) had good PCC knowledge.
Women’s knowledge of the preconception care component before getting pregnant
The study participants were asked what should be done before conception (components of PCC). Family planning was mentioned profusely than the rest of PCC components 195 (29.1%). Avoidance of substance 130 (19.4%), getting vaccination 40 (6 %) and screened and treated for disease 34 (5.1%) for getting pregnant were components of PCC mentioned by the study participants (Figure 1)
Women’s knowledge of untreated health problem, social and cultural behaviors affect the fetus and pregnancy outcome
Regarding women’s knowledge on untreated health problem that could affect the fetus; STIs including HIV/AIDS 481 (71.9%), Diabetes mellitus 331 (49.5%), Obesity 167 (25%), Epilepsy208 (31.1%) and alcohol consumption174 (26.0%) are most frequently mentioned untreated health problem which can affect the fetus, whereas cigarette smoking 112 (16.7%), genetic problem126 (18.8%) and exposure to environmental hazard 83 (12.4%) were the least frequently mentioned social and cultural behaviors affect pregnancy outcome (Table 2).
Uptake of preconception care
Ninety seven (14.5%) women’s was utilized PCC services and the majority of them 572 (85.5%) have not utilized. The study participants were asked the uptake level of PCC services and the most utilized preconception service were family planning 251 (37.5%), stop taking of illegal drugs 183 (27.3%), taking immunization against tetanus 145 (21.65%) and received preconception screening for medical and genetic conditions 118 (17.6%). The least component mentioned by participants were cessation of alcohol and cigarette78 (11.6%), consumption of folic acid supplementation before pregnancy 52 (7.7%). 150 (22.4%) study participants also weight monitored before conception. Ninety-eight (14.6%) study participant utilized PCC as a component of PCC.
Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis of knowledge and uptake of PCC among reproductive age group.
The study revealed that five factors found to show association with knowledge of PCC. A women who was better educational status three to four times more likely to have good knowledge than women who had lower educational status. A reproductive age group woman who has regular employment is two times more likely to have good knowledge than students and housewives. Women who have a history of institutional delivery are two times more likely to have good knowledge of PCC than those women who don’t have history of institutional delivery similarly women who utilize PNC and had a history of using modern contraceptive are five times and two times more likely have good knowledge compared to their reference group
Women who had better family incomes greater than 2800 ETB per month are four times more likely to utilize PCC. Women who utilize PNC service nearly six times more likely to utilize PCC than those who don’t utilize PNC. Having good knowledge of PCC has shown a positive association with uptake of PCC. A women who was a good knowledge of PCC four times more likely to utilize PCC than women who have poor knowledge of PCC (Table 3)