Factors Associated with Home Births among Rural Mothers in Uganda; a Descriptive Survey of Gomba District

Abstract

Home birth is the process of bringing forth a child by humans in their places of residence or in a non-clinical setting typically using natural childbirth methods [1,2]. Health facility birth assures safety and survival to the mother and her neonate and yet in developing countries, home births are rampant contributing to more than three-quarters of maternal deaths [4] and maternal complications during pregnancy, childbirth or within the first six weeks after childbirth [3-5]. The complications include post-partum hemorrhage, eclampsia, infections, and unsafe abortion [3,5,6]. Maternal death may also be due to indirect causes aggravated by pregnancy such as diabetes, malaria, anemia, and hepatitis [5]. Some mothers sustain chronic or permanent disabilities such as obstetric fistula while others may have stillborn babies or lose their newborn [6,7]. Such atrocities are actually preventable if mothers fully utilized maternal health care and if governments and partners ensured each facility had at least a midwife, vital equipment, basic medicine and clean birth environment [6]. Background: In Uganda, about 16 mothers die daily due to pregnancy, childbirth complications or within the first six weeks after delivery. For each maternal death, at least six mothers sustain permanent or temporary disabilities and morbidities. Until now, nearly 42% of the women still deliver at home and yet, 94% of them attend antenatal care at least once. Factors for the persistence of home births among mothers in rural areas of Uganda were therefore investigated to specifically determine the association between social demographic characteristics and home births, the impact of village health teams and the role played by sexual partners in influencing home births.