Maternal postnatal care utilization and associated factors: A community-based study among women of child-bearing age in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background and Objective: Nigeria has one of the highest maternal and child death rates in the world. Postnatal care is one of the major interventions recommended to reduce maternal and newborn deaths globally. The aim of this study is to determine the utilization of postnatal health services and identify the factors which affect this utilization among mothers of under-fives in Lagos. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among women of child bearing age in Lagos using structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. Six hundred women selected by multi stage sampling method were interviewed and data analyzed with EPI-info Version 3.5.1. Results: Two thirds (66.2%) of the respondents utilized postnatal health services. Factors which significantly influenced postnatal health services utilization were: number of children (p=0.031), maternal education (p=0.001), religion (Fisher′s exact p= 0.004), number of antenatal care visits (p<0.001) and skilled attendance at birth (p<0.001). Maternal occupation and time taken to the health facility were not significant determinants of utilization. Conclusion: Utilization of postnatal care services was high but not optimal. Interventions to increase family planning use and improve maternal educational status should be undertaken as well as increasing use of focused antenatal care and skilled delivery services.

Keywords

• Maternal health
• child health
• postnatal
• maternal education
• health-seeking behavior
• Nigeria