Table 2.

Preference for health center over health post services as reported by participating pregnant women

Preference	Illustrative quotes	Respondent descriptors
Sophistication of services	▪ HCs have a laboratory and medical equipment which is necessary to identify one's health problems. I started ANC visits at the HC because HEWs do not have enough equipment to diagnose and identify my problems.	Multipara, 26 years old, rural
Community meetings and incentives	▪ The HC organizes pregnant mother meetings monthly and always gives us 145 birr (approximately 5.00 USD) at the end of the meeting. ▪ There is porridge and there is coffee. Mothers who deliver their baby at the HC will be pleased.	Multipara, 27 years old, rural Multipara, 24 years old, small town
Availability and access	▪ HEWs may not be available but HC staff are always available. Thus, people prefer to visit the HC. Once, the HEW called us for a meeting, but she was absent. We waited for her the whole day and returned home without meeting her. Their messages often do not reach me.	Primipara, 20 years old, small town
Knowledge	▪ HEWs don't have adequate knowledge to tell me about my condition. They tell me what I myself already know, nothing more. They can only take our weight and give us iron tablets. ▪ HEWs cannot identify any problem; hence nobody can get any solution from them.	Multipara, 28 years old, rural Multipara, 45 years old, small town

Note. ANC = antenatal care; HC = health center; HEW = health extension worker.