Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health
ISSN: 3065-9078 | DOI: 10.64030/3065-9078
Medhanie Weldegiorgis Weldekidan, Fanuel Gebremeskel, Biniam Fisshatsion and Semere Tesfay
Background: Maternal mortality is the leading problem of public health throughout the world. Most of the maternal mortality occurred in developing countries like Sub-Saharan Africa and it is associated with home deliveries. This study aimed to identify factors that initiated mother to deliver at home in Anseba region.
Methods Facility based unmatched case control study was carried out among mothers delivered six months prior starting data collection in Anseba Region. The sample size was allocated to each HFs using probability proportional to size then systematic random sampling was used to select respondents at each health facility. Purposive sampling was used for the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) which was held in three subzones. Quantitative data was analyzed statistically using SPSS v.22 program whereas the qualitative data was analyzed using thematic frame work method.
Results A total of 600 mothers (200 cases and 400 controls) participated in the study. Mothers travels > 2hrs (AOR: 12.37, 95%CI: 4.57-33.5), walk on foot (AOR: 3.1, 95%CI: 1.31-7.16), no pursuing or few ANC contacts 8.68(2.42-31.1), medium birth intervals (AOR: 1.93, 95%CI; 1.03-3.63), and poor knowledge of danger signs of pregnancy (AOR: 2.44, 95%CI: 1.16-5.14) were predictors of home delivery.
Conclusion Even though the government of Eritrea offers free maternity services, long distance, means of transportation, maternal education and occupation and not attending to the ANC clinics were the major predictors of home delivery.