Utilization, Predictors and Gaps in the Continuum of Care for Maternal and Newborn Health in Ghana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21106/ijma.425Keywords:
- Continuum-of-care,
- Antenatal care,
- Skilled birth attendance,
- Postnatal care,
- Maternal health services,
- Maternal health,
- Newborn health,
- Ghana
Abstract
Background: Continuum-of-care (CoC) throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period is essential for the health and survival of mothers and their babies. This study assesses the utilization, predictors, and gaps in the continuum of maternal and newborn health (MNH) services in Eastern Ghana.
Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess utilization of MNH services and their determinants in the East Akim Municipality of Ghana. Three hundred and ten (310) mothers aged 15- 49 years were sampled from 4 communities (3 rural; 1 urban) in the municipality using stratified sampling methodology. Logistic regression models were fitted to determine the likelihood of utilizing skilled birth attendance (SBA) and postnatal care (PNC) after antenatal care (ANC).
Results: Sixty-six percent (66%) of mothers surveyed received the full complement of MNH services (ANC, SBA, PNC) for their most-recent birth. While 98% of mothers made at least one ANC visit with 83.5% receiving the World Health Organization-recommended 4+ visits, only 74% accessed SBA indicating a 24% attrition in the CoC from ANC to SBA, and an 8% attrition from SBA to PNC. About 86% of mothers accessed PNC within 42 days postpartum. Distance to health facility, urban residence, and exposure to media information were strong predictors of the full complement of MNH continuumof-care utilization.
Conclusion and Global Health Implications: The study found a remarkable utilization of MNH services in East Akim with significant attrition along the continuum-of-care. Efforts to enhance utilization of the MNH continuum-of-care should focus on increasing access to SBA in particular, through equitable distribution of MNH services in hard-to-reach areas and innovative communication approaches for reducing attrition at each level of the continuum-of-care. Evidence from this study can inform strategies for achieving universal access and utilization of the MNH continuum-of-care towards global goals and improved health outcomes in Ghana and other countries.
Downloads
Similar Articles
- Barbara Burmen, Gregory Kurtzman, Anthony A Olashore, Leyla Baghirova Busang, Ohemaa Poku, Phenyo Morakanyane, Ontibile Tshume, Onkemetse Phoi, Mogomotsi Matshaba, Elizabeth D Lowenthal, Knashawn H Morales, Merrian J Brooks, HIV Virologic Suppression and Mental Well-being in Adolescents and Young Adults Living with HIV , Vol. 14 No. Continuous (2025): International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS
- Charles Kouanfack, Fala Bede, Claude Ngwayu Nkfusai, Emerson Wepngong, Mbinkar Adeline Venyuy, Chombong Hubert, Denise Movuh Sam, Samuel Nambile Cumber, Retention in HIV/AIDS Management Services: is it Really Poor? The Case of Yaounde Central Hospital in Cameroon , Vol. 9 No. 2 (2020): International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS
- Hyunjung Lee, Gopal K. Singh, Contributions of Socioeconomic, Demographic, and Behavioral Risk Factors to All-Cause Mortality Disparities by Psychological Distress in the United States: A Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition Analysis of Longitudinal Data , Vol. 11 No. 1 (2022): International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS
- Nguyen Toan Tran, Kidza Mugerwa, Sarah Muwanguzi, Richard Mwesigwa, Damien Wasswa, Willibald Zeck, Armando Seuc, Catrin Schulte-Hillen, Postpartum Hemorrhage in Humanitarian Settings: Heat-Stable Carbetocin and Tranexamic Acid Implementation Study in Uganda , Vol. 13 No. S1 (2024): International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS
- Natalie C Frayer, Yeonsoo Kim, Caffeine Intake During Pregnancy and Risk of Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review , Vol. 9 No. 3 (2020): International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS
- Hamisu M. Salihu, Romuladus E. Azuine, Current and Emerging Issues in Global Health: An Introduction to Special Journal Collection , Vol. 9 No. 1 (2020): International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS
- Gopal K. Singh, Mohammad Siahpush, Romuladus E. Azuine, Shanita D. Williams, Widening Socioeconomic and Racial Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease Mortality in the United States, 1969-2013 , Vol. 3 No. 2 (2015): International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS
- Linda Aurpibul, Fuanglada Tongprasert, Uraiwan Wichasilp, Arunrat Tangmunkongvorakul, Depressive Symptoms Associated with Low Quality of Life Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women Living with HIV in Chiang Mai, Thailand , Vol. 9 No. 3 (2020): International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS
- Kelsey A. Stewart, Sergio M. Navarro, Sriharsha Kambala, Gail Tan, Revanth Poondla, Sara Lederman, Kelli Barbour, Chris Lavy, Trends in Ultrasound Use in Low and Middle Income Countries: A Systematic Review , Vol. 9 No. 1 (2020): International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS
- Sergio M. Navarro, Andile Sibiya, Maziar M. Nourian, Kelsey A. Stewart, Taylor D. Ottesen, Raymond R. Price, Addressing Supply Chain Management Issues in Cost-effective Maternal and Pediatric Global Surgery: A Call to Action , Vol. 9 No. 1 (2020): International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS
<< < 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 > >>
You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright © 2021 Juliana Y. Enos, Richard D. Amoako, Innocent K. Doku. Published by Global Health and Education Projects, Inc., USA.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , which permits others to remix, transform, and build upon the work non-commercially, provided the original author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the same terms.