Introduction: Preconception health refers to the health of all individuals during their reproductive years, regardless of gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation. It is an approach that promotes healthy fertility and focuses on actions that individuals can take to reduce risks, promote healthy lifestyles, and increase readiness for pregnancy, whether or not they plan to have children one day. The objectives of this study was assessing the level of healthcare providers practice preconception care and factor associated with preconception care in Ilubabor zone health facility.
Method: A facility based cross sectional study was conducted on 442 healthcare providers. The sample size was determined by using a single population proportion formula. Multistage sampling technique was used to select the study units. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was done to describe association among variables.
Results: Four hundred twenty two health care providers were involved with 95% response rate. From total participants, 301(71.3%) participants were female and 121(28.7%) were male. Two hundred thirty six (55.9%) participants had good knowledge about preconception care and one hundred thirty two (31.3%) had practiced Preconception care. From binary analysis practicing preconception care significantly associated with healthcare provider knowledge about PCC, profession(midwifery and nurse), their experience(2-5 years), educational status(both diploma and degree level) and with practice setting at p-value < 0.05 and 95% CI. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of those independent variables with p-value < 0.05 showed healthcare provider knowledge about Preconception care, being midwifery and nurse in profession and practicing in health center and health post had significant association with preconception care practice.
Conclusion: More than half of health care providers had knowledge about the preconception care but their preconception care practice level was still low. This initiates stakeholders to work on creating awareness and increasing willingness of health care providers to provide preconception care.
Published Date: 2024-09-30; Received Date: 2024-09-01
