Comparison of Pregnant Women's Satisfaction with Maternal Health Services between Urban and Rural Primary Health Centers in Abuja, Nigeria

Background: Maternal satisfaction is a critical component of healthcare delivery, influencing the uptake of services and maternal health outcomes. This study aims to compare pregnant women's satisfaction with maternal health services between urban and rural Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) in Abuja, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 240 pregnant women attending antenatal care services, evenly distributed between urban and rural PHCs. The questionnaire measured satisfaction across service domains, while the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) provided qualitative insights into service delivery. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29, with the level of significance set at 0.05. Results: Pregnant women's satisfaction was significantly higher in urban PHCs (76.2%) compared to rural PHCs (23.8%) (p < 0.001). Urban centers benefited from better staffing, infrastructure, and communication, while rural centers experienced challenges such as staff shortages and longer wait times. Multiple binary logistic regression revealed that pregnant women in urban PHCs were 12 times more likely to be satisfied than those in rural PHCs (OR = 11.75, 95% CI = 5.94 to 23.24). Conclusions: The disparity highlights a need for targeted interventions to address resource and service delivery gaps in rural PHCs. Strengthening infrastructure, increasing workforce availability, and improving staff-pregnant women communication are recommended.