Factors affecting the choice for home deliveries in Malawi

In developing countries, a high rate of maternal and neonatal deaths have been associated with home births. This study explored factors that influence pregnant women to deliver at home in the Thekerani Area of Thyolo district in Malawi. The study design was descriptive and recruited a convenience sample of 253 mothers. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire on women who were attending fewer than five postnatal and family planning clinics. The results identified four main factors that influenced home delivery; longwalking distance to a health facility (78%); lack of financial support while in hospital (52%); hostile behaviour of health personnel towards women in labour (40%) and traditional beliefs (31%). This study found that there is a need to: provide bicycle ambulances to each group village headman for easy transportation of pregnant women to health facilities, create awareness of birth preparedness and complications, upgrade existing primary health care centres to provide emergency obstetric and neonatal care services and empower the women financially through income generating activities.