ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to assess acceptability and utilization of health care services among pregnant women in north central zone of Nigeria. To achieve this purpose, 12 hospitals were randomly selected using multi-stage sampling technique (stratified, simple and purposive sampling techniques). Data was collected using close-ended questionnaire and 384 questionnaire copies were administered to pregnant women who attended antenatal clinics in the randomly selected hospitals, out of which 300 were duly completed and returned. Differences between educational qualification, age range and the acceptability and utilization of health care services were analysed and examined using descriptive statistics of means and standard deviation to answer the research questions and Analysis of Variance with alpha level of 0.05 to test the formulated hypotheses. The findings indicates that pregnant women of different educational qualification and age range do not differ significantly (F=.001) in the acceptability and utilization of healthcare services in north central zone of Nigeria. Based on the results of this study and its limitations, the following conclusions were drawn: Health care services were available to pregnant women in north central zone of Nigeria. Pregnant women of different educational qualification do not differ in the acceptability of health care services in north central zone of Nigeria. Pregnant women of different age range do not differ in the acceptability of health care services in north central zone of Nigeria. Pregnant women of different age range utilize health care services in the north central zone of Nigeria. On the basis of the conclusion drawn, the following recommendations are made to improve acceptability and utilization of health care services in north central zone of Nigeria. Development partners in conjunction with concerned government parastatals should set up a minority team charged with the responsibility to check and monitor periodically and provide updates for the activities of maternal health centres for improvement and possible updates on the acceptability and utilization of health centres.