Determinants Of First Postnatal Check-up Among Newborns In Kenya

Abstract

Maternal, neonatal and child health remain an important aspect covering the general health and well-being of both the mother and the child. Postnatal care has for the most part received limited and at times no attention more so from the newborns perspective. Healthcare workers for the most part have given the required PNC attention to the mother but have subsequently neglected the newborn. Sub-Sahara Africa and southern Asia have borne the biggest brunt in both morbidity and mortality rates being the highest globally. In Kenya, the picture is no different. Various studies have looked at factors affecting uptake of postnatal care from the mothers’ perspective. Scarce studies have looked at first PNC among newborns in Kenya. Using secondary data from the KDHS 2014, this study sought to analyze the determinants of first PNC among newborns in Kenya. This study employed a three level analysis; univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis. From the results generated, wife’s age, education level, timing of mothers’ first PNC, the provider of care for both, timing of the ANC visits and their frequencies, place of delivery, household wealth, region and residence emerged as being highly significantly associated with the first postnatal care among the newborns. Birth spacing as well as the gender of the household head, did not have a significant association with the first uptake. At the multivariate level, ANC visits, provider of mothers’ PNC check and place of delivery emerged as significant determinants of first postnatal care checkup among newborns. Evidence based policy recommendations proposed looking at the quality of care given at the health institution. In addition, it was seen to be important to look at postnatal care after discharge from the facility and its impact on newborn health.