Demissie Asrat(Prof)Assefa Zenebework2022-05-202023-11-062022-05-202023-11-062011-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/31730Background: Every year, approximately 500,000 women die and some 62 million women suffer from pregnancy and delivery related problems at the height of their productivity and family responsibility. Around 80% of maternal deaths are the result of complication arising during pregnancy, delivery and puerperium. However, most of such deaths can be prevented by proper utilization of maternal health care services provided in health institutions. Objective: The aim of this study is to identify factors influencing the utilization of antenatal carein Dessie Town. Methods: The community based cross sectional study was conducted on the assessment of factor affecting utilization of antenatal care among 682 reproductive age group women in Dessie town,2011. Single population proportion formula had been used to determine the sample size. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select the study subjects. The town has ten kebeles and of these, four kebeles were selected through simple random sampling technique. After obtaining the total number of households from selected kebeles, participants were selected through systematic random sampling technique based on population proportion to size method.Before data collection, pre-test were undertaken on 10% of the total sample size i.e. i.e. 68 mothers on non-selected kebeles in Dessie town to control the quality of data and the restructuring of questionnaire. Then, a face to face interview was carried based on the structured questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed by using Soft ware Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and possible association were made by using Chi-square and P-value. The findings were statistically interpreted and comparison was made with other findings. Result-A total of 682 mothers who gave birth within one year were interviewed among them 630(92.4%) of mothers have used ANC in their previous (last) pregnancy. which showed that there is a high coverage of antenatal care in Dessie town. Associations were sought between ANC service utilization during pregnancy by different socio demographic, obstetric and delivery characteristics. Women having college & university (post secondary) education have used antenatal care 8 times greater compared with women who have no formal education, AOR=8.2(1.1, 65). There was significant association between total number of children & antenatal care that is for each additional child, the probability of having antenatal follow up increased by twice , AOR= 2(1.4, 3.0). Conclusions & Recommendations- In conclusion, this study showed better utilization of antenatal care as compared to the national coverage. Family income, women education, number of children were important determinant factors for ANC. Mothers’ educational level, monthly family income, religion, number of children, showed statistically significance association with antenatal care. Education was found to have an impact on the use of antenatal care services suggests that improving educational opportunity for women may have a large impact on improving utilization of ANC services in the nation.en-USAntenatal CareThesis