Adherence to Complete Postnatal Care Visits among Mothers in Gandaki Province, Nepal

Maternal and infant mortality remains a major global health challenge, and adherence to postnatal care (PNC) is vital for reducing morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to assess adherence to complete postnatal care visits among mothers of children under two years in Nepal.

A cross-sectional quantitative study of 303 mothers from five local wards of Phalewas Municipality was conducted in 2023. The total enumeration included all eligible mothers listed on the health posts. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, using a structured questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the factors associated with complete PNC adherence (p<0.05).

Only 40.3% of participants completed all PNC visits per protocol. Factors associated with increased odds of complete PNC adherence included husband's employment in the service sector (AOR 3.2, 95% CI 1.53-6.80), cesarean section deliveries (AOR 2.9, 95% CI 1.62-5.19), and satisfaction with healthcare services (AOR 2.2, 95% CI 1.07-4.43). Conversely, mothers from the Janajati ethnic group had lower odds of complete PNC adherence (AOR 0.4, 95% CI 0.16-0.87).

Low PNC adherence in the study area highlights challenges in achieving the national targets. Efforts should focus on improving community awareness, healthcare service quality, and targeted support for marginalized groups.