Abstract
Where women choose to deliver affects their access to skilled birth attendant and potentially determines the outcome of the pregnancy. This is an important factor against the backdrop of high maternal and neonatal mortality rates in Nigeria. The choice of place of delivery and factors that determine such choices are therefore pertinent considerations in the path to safe motherhood. To assess the factors that determine the choice of place of delivery by women of reproductive age, this cross sectional study was carried out between January to March 2015 in Vom , a semi urban area about 30km from Jos the capital of Plateau State among 2,640 (Two thousand six hundred and forty) women of reproductive age. The mother’s safety was the major factor that influenced the choice of place of delivery by 1,927(73%) of the respondents, the cost of services was the next determinant in 633(24%) of the respondents while the attitude of the health care providers at hospitals was the least consideration in 79 (3%) of the respondents for the choice of place of delivery. The most preferred place of delivery was hospitals (80%) while home delivery and deliveries with Traditional Birth Attendants were favoured by 19% and 1% of the respondents respectively. The majority of the respondents (32%) were between the ages of 40-44 years while 22% were between 25-29years of age. The respondents were predominantly farmers of the Berom ethnic group (99%) and 47% of them had completed primary level of education. The safety of pregnant mother was the major consideration that influenced the place of delivery among women of reproductive age in this population. Hospital delivery was the most favoured place of delivery.
Highlights
Maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa and Nigeria in particular is still unacceptably high
This is of concern because globally delivery assistance has been shown to be crucial in reducing maternal mortality ratio yet many women in Nigeria deliver in places where they do not have access to a skilled birth attendant.[7]
Islam and Traditional religion adherents were 0.01%.The predominant ethnic group among respondents was the Berom ethnic group which was 99.8% of the study population. 80% of respondents preferred hospital delivery while 19% chose home delivery and 1% chose delivery with TBAs (Figure 1)
Summary
Maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa and Nigeria in particular is still unacceptably high. Central region where this study was done only showed a marginal increase from 42.7% to 46.5% and delivery in health facilities rose from 41% to 45.7% within the same time frame.[5] Other studies have shown a high rate of home deliveries among pregnant women in Nigeria even when they may have benefited from antenatal care.[6] This is of concern because globally delivery assistance has been shown to be crucial in reducing maternal mortality ratio yet many women in Nigeria deliver in places where they do not have access to a skilled birth attendant.[7] The imbalance in availability of
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