Maternity waiting home utilization and associated factors in the rural community of Dangur District, Northwestern Ethiopia: results from a community-based cross-sectional household survey.

BACKGROUND

Approximately 80% of people in Ethiopia live in rural areas, where poor access to maternity services, accounts for the majority of maternal and perinatal deaths. Maternity waiting homes are residential facilities for women who come from remote areas to stay and wait before giving birth at health facilities, particularly in hospitals and health centers. It is a new initiative and one of the strategies that increase skilled care utilization at birth. However, there is no evidence on the status of maternity waiting home utilization in the study area. Therefore, this study aimed to generate evidence on the status of maternity waiting home utilization and its associated factors.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional household survey was conducted from June 5-30, 2022. The sample size was calculated using the single population proportion formula, which resulted in 354 participants. The study population included mothers who gave birth within 12 months before the survey were selected by using a systematic sampling method. The data were coded, edited, cleaned, and entered into Epi Data version 3.1. The data were subsequently exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Descriptive, bivariable, and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were performed. The results are presented in the text, figures, and tables. Finally, variables with a p value < 0.05 in the multivariable analysis were reported as significantly associated with the independent variables and outcome variable.

RESULTS

The magnitude of maternity waiting home utilization was 36.4% (95% CI = 31.4, 41.8). Being knowledgeable about the presence of maternity waiting home (AOR = 3.9; 95% CI: 1.0-15.2), being able to afford transportation (AOR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.01-5.9), being home delivery (AOR = 0.007; 95% CI: 0.002-0.031) and being acess to transportation services (AOR = 3.0; 95% CI: 1.2-7.5) were significantly associated with maternity waiting home utilization.

CONCLUSION

The magnitude of maternity waiting home utilization in the study area was found to be low. Access to and affordability of transportation services, being knowledgeable and being home delivery were associated factors for the use of maternity waiting homes. Therefore, increasing maternal knowledge, economically empowering women and respecting care while waiting at maternity homes are important for improving the utilization of maternity waiting homes.