Determinants of Choice of Delivery Places and Outcomes of Pregnancy among Women of Child Bearing Age in Yenagoa Metropolis, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the determinant of choice of place of delivery and outcome of pregnancy among women of child bearing age in Yenagoa Metropolis. The study utilized a cross-sectional descriptive research design. The target population for this study was women of childbearing age {15-49 years} in Yenagoa Metropolis. The population of this study comprises of a total population of 1080 women of childbearing age. A purposive sample method was used to select the health facilities within Yenagoa metropolis then stratified random sample was used to select women of child bearing age within the various facilities. A structured questionnaire titled determinants of choice of delivery place and outcomes of pregnancy among women of childbearing age was used to elicit information from the sampled respondents.  Copies of the questionnaire were given Senior Lecturer in Nursing in University of Port Harcourt to determine its face and content validity.  The structured questionnaire was subjected to a test re-test reliability study that was conducted among 10% of respondents in the target population, which were selected from Niger Delta Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri. These respondents did not participate in the main study. The data collected was analyzed and the reliability coefficient was computed. A value of 0.07 to 1.00 was accepted as reliable. Variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation, and inferential statistic. The null hypotheses were tested using t-test. The findings of the study showed that, most parturient  attend antenatal clinic but not all the numbers returns to the hospital at time of delivery based on various reasons such as cost of medical bill not affordable, faith based clinic are more conducive, nurses/midwives are abusive, short distance to place of birth, fear of being operated upon where some of the reasons given among others although,  Results gotten from the tested hypothesis revealed a statistical difference between respondent’s demographic characteristics (age, educational status, and parity) and choice of place of delivery. The study concluded that, affordable medical bills, Female education, female empowerment, healthcare workers attitude, distance of health facilities from homes in most communities are the determinants to be addressed in curbing the Morbidity and Mortality rate and government should create policies that will bring these experienced unskilled attendants to received training to help improve services delivery in the society. It recommended that Ministry of health in collaboration with government should organized orientation programmed in Yenagoa metropolis to enlighten the Yenagoa people on the benefit of hospital delivery to the women in the community, provision should be made by government on free medical treatment of pregnant women from pregnancy to postpartum stage. These will encourage women to go hospital for child delivery, among others.