Publication: Utilization of post-natal care services among post-natal women in Ngara health centre, Starehe sub-County, Nairobi County
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2022-11
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Mount Kenya University
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Abstract
Post natal period starts within 1 hour after delivery and up to six months after delivery.
Post Natal Care (PNC) has proven to decrease the infants and maternal morbidities and
also the mortalities; though the utilization has been low. In Kenya, it’s only around
51% of the mothers that receive these services from a skilled health care worker.
Minimal research of the factors that are linked with use of the post-natal services has
been done. The study identified the utilization of the PNC services in Ngara Health
Centre, Nairobi County. The study had 3 objectives as follows: Identifying the level of
utilization of postnatal care services, determining the health system factors influencing
utilization of postnatal care services, and identifying the client factors that influence
utilization of postnatal care services in Ngara Health Centre, Nairobi County were the
objectives of this research. The target population was mothers seeking maternal
neonatal child health from the MNCH clinics to include the immunization and family
planning rooms. The research utilized descriptive cross sectional study design. A semi structured questionnaire was used to gather information on knowledge, demographic
and institution related factors influencing postnatal care.155 mothers out of 212
responded which was 73% response rate. There was low utilization of post-natal care
which was 43%. The number of children the mother had, history of loss of a child,
duration taken to receive postnatal care services and reasons for seeking postnatal care
services (for checkup, or ill health of either mother or baby) On client factors, number
of children, loss of a child, nature of return date given and presence of complications
after delivery influenced post-natal care. conclusion; level of utilization was low, health
care providers should be time conscious when handling clients at the clinic to reduce
the overall turnaround time and to avoid missed opportunities and also emphasize the
need for checking maternal health status so that mothers would come for PNC services,
even if the baby does not have any health need or pending immunizations.
Recommendations; The government should ensure that by use of qualified and
experienced personnel that they educate the communities on the importance of PNC,
health care providers should be time conscious when handling clients at the clinic in
order to reduce the overall turnaround time, to avoid missed opportunities, health care
providers should emphasize the need for checking maternal health status so that
mothers would come for PNC services, even if the baby does not have any health need
or pending immunizations
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Keywords
Post natal care, Immunization, Maternal health