Analyzing women’s knowledge of pregnancy complications in Ethiopia through a multilevel approach

Pregnancy complications can't always be predicted. However, pregnant women must be aware of these pregnancy complications to avoid serious complications and begin treatment as soon as possible. Maternal mortality can be decreased by offering high-quality maternity services and educating women about the early warning signs of pregnancy. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess individual and community-level factors associated with women's knowledge about pregnancy complications in Ethiopia based on the 2019 Ethiopian mini-demographic health survey data (EMDHS). The study analyzed data from the 2019 EMDHS, including a weighted sample of 1,655 reproductive-age women. Multilevel binary logistic regression analysis was used to fit the associated variables. Using the interclass correlation (ICC), deviance, proportional change variance (PVC), and median odds ratio (MOR), the comparison and fit of the models were evaluated. The significant variables associated with knowledge about complications during pregnancy were identified using an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and a 95% confidence interval (CI). The proportion of mothers with good knowledge of pregnancy complications was 44.8% (CI 42.4%-47.2%). The multi-level analysis revealed that secondary education (AOR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.04-2.29), a higher education level (AOR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.11-2.72), four and above ANC Visits (AOR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.49-0.98), women who lived in Amhara (AOR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.24-3.55), and SNNPR (AOR = 3.92, 95% CI = 2.10-7.31) were positively associated with knowledge about pregnancy complications while, women residing in Harari (AOR = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.98-0.44) and Dire-Dawa (AOR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.24-0.95) were negatively associated with knowledge about pregnancy complications. This study found that nearly half (44.8%) of the study participants demonstrated knowledge about pregnancy complications. This suggests a significant gap in awareness that could potentially impact access to obstetric care for women experiencing complications during pregnancy. Therefore, prioritizing enhancements in antenatal counseling services and community health education regarding pregnancy complications is crucial.