Delivery Site Preferences and Associated Factors among Married Women of Child Bearing Age in Bench Maji Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Efforts to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity must address societal and culturalfactors that affect women’s health and their access to services. There was no research conductedpreviously on delivery site preferences and associated factors among married women of child bearingage in the study area. The aim of this study was to assess the delivery site preferences and associatedfactors among women of child bearing age in Bench Maji Zone, Southwest Ethiopia.METHODS: A community based cross sectional quantitative study design supplemented by qualitativedata was conducted from April 20 to May 20, 2013. Simple random sampling to select kebeles andsystematic random sampling to contact eligible woman were used. Data was collected using structuredquestionnaire. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 16. Logistic regressions analysis was employedto identify potential predictor variables. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was used to assess theassociation of variables. P-value less than 5% was used to declare significant association.RESULTS: Three hundred five (61.9%) of the mothers gave birth at home. Three Hundred ninety six(78.7%) of them had Ante natal care. The preference of facility delivery was 412(88.3%). Age of women,mothers’ educational level, and place of delivery of the last baby, perception of mothers about pregnancyand health care workers significantly affected delivery site preference.CONCLUSION: Most of the women attended Ante natal care. However, only some had actually deliveredat health facilities to their last pregnancy. Community members should get health education to reducemisconceptions on delivering in health facility.