Terefe, Hirut (PhD)Berihan, Niguss2018-10-022023-11-182018-10-022023-11-182010-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/12345678/12382.\lany of \I'alllen in dereloping cow11ries are al a great risk ill lerms of high ",alernal lIIorhi,iill ' and mOrlalif)' dlle 10 ji:lclors related to pregnallL)l and childbirth in these cOll/1Irie) . .. / en'S.' sectional swdy was condllcted ji-om February 15 10 March 15. 2010 ill Gozal11 in lI"ored" III Amhara Regional S{(ae 10 assess factors a[[ecting ulilizalion o(maternal heallh care wlTice ' .-/ IOwl o[ 587 women )rho had al lisl one live binhs in Ihe .five years preceding Ihe sUITe,' \I ' , re selecled syslematically. Dala Irere collected using a pre-Iested and structured quesliollll(lires " ,,,I FGD )rere used to collecl qual7lilGlive and qualiwlive data. respeclil'ely. The analysis rel'eu.-ed Ihal aboul 59.3% ot'the \I'omen had at leasl one prenalal visil during Iheir recelll I'regnw ,,'L Aboul fO rlyjive percenl of Ihose women allending anlenalal care had Iheirfirsl l'isil during Ih"ir /irstlrimesler o[ pregnancy. Among ANC users 6-1% of had less than[our anlenawl care ('()/lluds in the recem pregnancL 771e 1110S1 imporlanl reasons for nOI allending ANC care Irere he.'lIg heallhy and being 100 bU5)'. AJajorily of deli reries took place at home; aboul 71% o(deti\·erie.\ lOok place (/1 home. Presence or relGlives nearb.'. Ti-anspOrl{{{ion problem. and lack o(pri)',"T )rere Ihe main reasons ciled[or resorting 10 hallie delil·ery. The majority o!'the respondel1ls \I ,'I'e able 10 nallle Ihe danger sign of pregnancy relaled problems. In mullivariwe analysis Ihe ri., i: 01 non-allendallce of _~ NC and home delivery \I'as higher for Ihose \I 'omell whose residence " as /'IIral. low educaliol1al stalus, higher parily and being housewi[e 01 old age. In addition .-'.,(C service utili zation s igni ficantly affect utilization of de livery care provided in health inst itUl il1 ns (P-value less than 0.05). In cone/usion. Ihe sllld), revealed thw more wOlllen allend 11_\'C d"r.'ng pregnancy liwnlhose derived al heailh instituliollS. Demographic and socio-c"iluraljclelOrs \I eTc found 10 be barriers 10 ulilizOIion 0/ malernal health care services. Educating girls, pro\'i Jing health education on maternal health care services. and improving the sen ' ices of health cxten5:oll \\'Orkers in ru ral areas were recommended to improve utili zation of both sen·ices. Key words: .l1alernal heailh care. anlel1atal care. place of delil·ery. Amhara Regionenl1alernal heailh care.anlelatal care.place of delil·eryAmhara RegionThesis