Determinants of maternal delivery at rural health facilities a study undertaken in the Mpigi District of Uganda

Master Thesis

2011

Permanent link to this Item
Authors
Supervisors
Journal Title
Link to Journal
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Publisher

University of Cape Town

License
Series
Abstract
Mpigi District is a rural district in Uganda with high maternal morbidity and mortality. While most pregnant women in Uganda attend antenatal clinics, few ultimately deliver their babies in a health facility. Interventions have not achieved increased utilisation of maternal services. A review of maternal determinants and factors associated with health facility delivery is the focus of this study. To determine the reasons why women deliver in health facilities; to identify the maternal determinants or factors associated with health facility delivery; and to determine the socio-demographic characteristics of women who deliver in health facilities. This quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study of 257 women who delivered in the Mpigi District in 2008/2009 used face-to-face interviews at which a questionnaire was administered. Women delivered in health facilities because they expected a safe delivery. Ten factors were found to be significantly associated with a higher possibility of health facility delivery: eight or more years of education (P=0.002); previous health facility delivery (P<0.0001); first delivery in a health facility (P<0.0001); no history of a non-health facility delivery (P <0.0001); more than 50% of deliveries in a health facility (P=0.007); three or more antenatal care visits (P=0.031); above-average socio-economic status (P=0.016); living in a household of three or fewer individuals (P=0.028); living within 30 minutes? travel time of a health facility (P=0.007); and history of contraceptive use (P=0.046). These are the maternal determinants of health facility delivery in this rural setting. The mothers that delivered in health facilities were 15 and 29 years old (85.2%), either married or cohabiting (77.5%), had completed eight years or more of formal education (53.5%), lived within a radius of up to 30 minutes? journey from a health facility (67.2%) and lived in a household of four or more individuals (76.0%). This study shows that there are specific maternal characteristics (sociodemographic descriptors) that are associated with increased possibility of health facility delivery.
Description

Includes bibliographical references.

Reference:

Collections