BackgroundThere is limited evidence about husbands’ roles on women’s utilization of skilled maternity care in Ethiopia, a country with low utilization coverage of skilled birth attendants and high maternal mortality. This study examined the association between husbands’ involvement in antenatal care and women’s use of skilled birth attendants in Sidama zone, Southern Ethiopia.MethodsUsing a cohort study design, we followed a random sample of 709 antenatal women until delivery from June 01 to November 30, 2015. Main exposure variable was husband’s involvement in at least one antenatal care visit, and outcome variable was women’s use of skilled attendants during birth. Data were analysed using SPSS software-version20. We computed univariate and bivariate analyses to describe characteristics of the study subjects. A chi-square test with p-value < 0.05 level of significance and logistic regression analyses with odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were computed to test homogeneity of the two groups’ baseline characteristics and examine the association between husbands’ involvement in antenatal care and women’s use of skilled attendants during birth. Model assessment of the regression equation was checked using a likelihood ratio test, score test, and Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test.ResultsWomen who reported at least one antenatal care visit in which their husbands accompanied them were 6.27 times (95% Confidence interval: 4.2, 9.3) more likely to use skilled birth attendants compared to women attended antenatal care alone.ConclusionThere was a strong statistically significant association between husbands’ involvement during antenatal care and women’s use of skilled attendants during birth. This implies that woman’s utilization of skilled attendants during birth can be improved by involving their husbands in at least one antenatal care visit.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12884-018-1954-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background: Husbands' involvement in maternal care is considered as a crucial step in scaling up women's utilization of the services. However, the factors related with how husband's involvement in maternal health care have hardly been studied to date in the study areas. Therefore, this study aimed to explore barriers to husbands' involvement in maternal health care, in Sidama zone, Southern Ethiopia. Methods: The study employed a qualitative method. A pre-tested interview guide questions that prepared in English and translated in to Amharic language were used for data collection. The data were collected using focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and key-informants' interview in April and May 2015. The data were analyzed thematically. Results: The study identified a range of factors that-deterred husbands to involve in their female partners' maternal health care. These are childbirth is a natural process, pregnancy and childbirth are women's business, preference for TBAs' care and husband's involvement in pregnancy and birth care is a new idea were identified as barriers for husbands' involvement in maternal health care, in this study. Conclusions: A range of factors related with clients' and service delivery factors' were identified as barriers to husbands' involvement in maternal health care. Based on the study findings we recommend a contextual based awareness creation programs about husbands' involvement in maternal health care need to be established.

Background Food cravings is a strong and intense urge to consume a specific food and reported as being associated with overweight and overall caloric intake in pregnant women. However, the nutritional and anthropometric consequences are not well recognized. Therefore, this study aimed to assess magnitude and effects of food cravings on nutritional status of pregnant women in Southern Ethiopia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study conducted among 586 randomly selected pregnant mothers at Sidama Regional State from June 1–20, 2019. Pre-tested and semistructured face-to-face interview questionnaires used to collect the data. The data were cleaned, coded, and entered into Epi Data version 3.1 and analysed using SPSS IBM version 20. The bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression used to identify the possible factors of food cravings. Principal component analysis used to determine the wealth status of the study participants. Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) together with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) used to declare statistical significance. Results The study found that nearly three in five, 309 (58.3%) [95%, CI: 54.2%-62.8%] of the study participants reported food cravings. Meat (71.5%) and Fruits (41.7%) were the most frequently craved. About one-third, 194 (36.6%) of the study participants were undernourished (MUAC < 23 cm). Age of women (20–34 years), government employed, Antenatal Care (ANC), Pica practice, lowest wealth quintile, and skipping meals were statistically associated with food cravings. Whereas, wealth quintile and ability to consume craved food were factors associated with the nutritional status of pregnant women. Moreover, our study result found that maternal undernutrition and food cravings were statistically associated (p<0.001). Conclusion The prevalence of food cravings in this study is comparable to the global level. However, the magnitude of undernutrition found to be higher. Thus, health care providers need to take every opportunity to encourage women to adopt healthful dietary practices during pregnancy.