Abstract:
Home delivery is defined as any birth occurring at home rather than in
health facility, is considered an unsafe form of delivery and, is associated with high risk of
maternal and peri-natal mortality and other pregnancy complications. Typically maternal
mortality rate is becoming excessively high, (94% of it) happened in low-resource settings
countries, and most could have been prevented worldwide. It has become increasingly
clear that Maternal Mortality Rate in sub-Saharan Africa is increasingly attributed to home
delivery.
Objective: This study assessed the prevalence of home delivery and its associated factors
among mothers who gave birth in the past twelve months in Makuey District, Nuer zone,
Gambella Region, Ethiopia, and the study started from April 15- May 15, 2022.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 584 randomly
selected mothers who gave birth in the past 12 months in Makuey District, Nuer zone,
Gambella Region, Ethiopia. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a
structured questionnaire. The descriptive result was presented using 95% CI. Bivariate and
multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to identify factors independently
associated with the place of delivery. The analytical result was presented in adjusted odds
ratio (AOR). P-value < 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance.
Result: Home delivery is found to be 38.5% (95% CI: 34.4- 42.5) in this study. Not
having a written birth preparedness plan (AOR: 4.11; 95% CI: 2.45-6.89), women’s
dissatisfaction towards opinions of delivery services (AOR: 5.10; 95% CI: 2.67-9.75), not
having mass media exposure (AOR: 2.18; 95% CI: 1.24-3.81), and no antenatal care visits
(AOR: 4.70; 95% CI: 2.81-7.85) were found to be significantly associated with home
delivery.
Conclusion: Home delivery was high in Makuey district, Nuer zone. Birth preparedness,
maternal dissatisfaction towards the opinions of delivery, history of ANC visits, and media
exposure about delivery services were found to increase home delivery. Activities
targeting plans for birth preparedness, good services provision in health facilities,
encouraging numbers of ANC visits, and health facility delivery benefits advocacy in
media were the crucial areas to tackle the problems.
