Argaw Zeleke (MSc)Workineh Yinager2022-06-022023-11-062022-06-022023-11-062013-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/31884Background: Due to low maternal healthcare utilization, many numbers of women die each year within the first hours, days and weeks after childbirth. To avert this, one of the eight Millennium Development Goals called improving maternal health is widely applied through out the world especially in developing countries which have low coverage of maternal services due to several factors. Therefore, the factors at different levels affecting the use of these services need to be clearly understood by assessing factors which affect the utilization of PNC services. Methods: A community based cross sectional study design method was used in Funeteselam town from November to May 2013 by using systematic sampling techniques. Data was first cleaned, edited, coded and entered into computer via epi Info version-3.5.1 and it was analyzed using SPSS version -16, and logistic regression used to assess the association of variables. Result: The woman's own educational status, marietal status, occupation status, obstetric history, plan to utilize PNC services, long waiting time and decision making problem were significantly associated with the utilization of PNC. As a result of such factors especially lack of awareness, and self decision, proportion of women who had received PNC after delivery was (20.2%). Conclusion and recommendations: the findings of this study showed that postnatal care services utilization is low in the study area due to no/little knowledge, being healthy, being busy, long waiting time, far from house, decision making dynamics, and with out reason. This calls service providers, administrative organs, and health-policy makers to design short and long term strategies for awareness-raising programmes and educating the community about the benefit of PNC services for both mothers and infants at grassroots level.en-USPostnatal care services, factors affecting PNC services utilizationThesis