Factors Associated With Choice Of Place For Delivery In Builsa North District

ABSTRACT Background Poor utilization of health facilities during delivery by pregnant mothers is still major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in Ghana. The objective of this study was to assess factors associated with choice of place for delivery in Builsa north district in Upper East Region of Ghana. Method This was a descriptive community-based cross sectional study of women aged 15-49 years and their partners who reside in Builsa north district. The study was to investigate factors associated with choice of place of delivery among women who delivered within the previous two years and their partners in Builsa north district using a questionnaire. Multi-stage sampling was used to recruit the respondents for the study. A total of 200 women in Builsa north district who delivered within the previous two years and their partners were interviewed directly in their own homes using a pre-tested questionnaire. Data were analysed and presented using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages. Chi-Square test was used to show associations between variables using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 16. Findings The study has shown that 82% of the women who gave birth in the previous two years delivered at the health facility. Distance, cost of transport and unavailability of transport are the main barriers to health facility delivery. The safety of women and their babies (72.3%) and that of health personnel education (71.8%) from ANC were the reasons why v women delivered at health facility. The study found out that there was poor satisfaction of care rendered at the health facility. About 68.5% (of women) and 57.5% (of men) were aware of the free ambulance service in the district but only 1.5% of them have ever used this service during labour. Conclusion Health education of both women and their partners during ANC attendance improves the utilization of services at the health facility in rural areas.