August 2014 Vol. 2 No. 8

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Original Research Article

Why women choose to deliver at home in Omdurman, Sudan 2013

Umbeli T. MD. FCM. PhD¹*, Kunna A. MD², Salah Ismail MD³, Sulman M. Mirghani, FRCOG⁴ and Murwan I. O. FRCOG⁵
 

¹Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Community Physician, Faculty of Medicine, Omdurman Islamic University (OIU), P. O. Box 149, Omdurman Maternity Hospital (OMH), Sudan
²Dept of OBGYN, University of Bahri.
³Dept of OBGYN, OIU.
⁴Consultant Obstetrician, OMH.
⁵Consultant Obstetrician and DG OMH

*Corresponding Author's E-mail: umbeli_taha@hotmail.com: Tel: 00249912360153

Accepted July 26, 2014

Abstract

Increasing access to good quality hospital care during labour and delivery has been identified as a key strategy in increasing maternal and infant survival, inspite of that many pregnant women prefer to deliver at home. A study done in Omdurman, at Omdurman Maternity Hospital (OMH) and health centers to assess socio-economic factors affecting place of childbirth and hospital delivery during 2013. A descriptive study conducted at OMH and health center level, carried out to assess factors affecting place of childbirth and barriers against hospital delivery. A random sample was selected from patients who delivered at OMH and a similar sample from patients attending antenatal care (ANC) at health centers and decided not to deliver in hospital provided they have no complication requiring hospital delivery. Data was collected by trained registrars after an informed consent and analyzed using SPSS version 18. Financial problems and cost of hospital services was the main reason for choosing home delivery; 2074 (86.8%), followed by lack of privacy at hospital 1740 (72.5%), easy previous delivery at home 1579 (65.8%) and fear of hospital atmosphere 1548 (64.5%). Low level of education and illiteracy associated with home delivery (P < 0.05), while high education, university or post graduate, influences hospital delivery (P < 0.05). Young women, less than 20 years, preferred to deliver in hospital (P < 0.05), while elder clients of forty years or more choose to deliver to home (P < 0.05). Women of middle age, 20-39 years, have no difference between their places of birth. Socio-cultural issues, financial problems, inaccessibility of health services and lack of privacy at hospital are main reasons for choosing home for childbirth and adversely affecting hospital delivery

Keywords: Childbirth, Place of birth, Sudan