Background:  Preconception care can contribute to reducing maternal and childhood mortality and morbidity in both high and low income countries. Even though PCC could address a full range of women’s, and couple’s health needs to produce healthy new born, family and a community at large, in Ethiopia, the pooled prevalence of an adequate level of knowledge and utilization of preconception care among Ethiopian women was 30.95%.

Objective: To assess the utilization of preconception care and associated factors among non-pregnant women who visits health facilities during data collection period, in shebedinowereda,Sidama Region Ethiopia.

 Method: facility based cross-sectional study was conducted among reproductive age group women visiting health facilities in shebednowereda,from April 1-31, 2023. Datawere collected using structured face-to-face interviewer administered questionnaires. Descriptive analysis was used to present the frequency and percentage of the main findings. The association between independent variables and knowledge variables that had p-value ≤0.25 binary logistic regression were fitted. And data were further analyzed with a multivariate logistic regression model. Finally value<0.05 is considered statistically significant and presented by adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% CI.

ResultThis study included 380 participants with 95.4% response rate. And only 13.9% of respondent was utilized preconception care.  Educational status of respondent , (AOR= 2.28: CI 95 %,( (2.71, 7.2)), educational status of husband  (AOR= 11.4, CI 95 %,( (2.07, 6.16)), having known health problem (AOR=10.4, CI: 95 % (2.62, 17.7)) and received counseling(AOR=12.2, CI 95 % (18.2, 24.25))  and heard about preconception care (AOR=4.3, CI 95 % (9.1, 19.2))  and challenge in accessing health facility (AOR=2.5, CI 95 % (1.09, 5.69))  were all significantly associated with utilization of preconception care.(P value <0.005).

ConclusionThe present study revealed that only 13.9% respondent utilizes preconception care in shebedinowereda.Educational status of women, educational status of husband, having known health problem, receiving counselling about PCC and heard about PCC were significantly associate with utilization of preconception care. In light of this finding, there is a need to strengthen screening of women who attend health facility to know their status. Strengthen health education program to bring knowledge and to increase awareness about preconception care, and integrating the preconception concept in all service areas.

 Key words; preconception care, utilizati