Factors Determining Choice of Delivery Place Among Women of Childbearing Age: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background Childbirth is a deep psychological experience that has a long-term effect on women's health. Therefore, pregnant women need to make an informed decision about where and how they will give birth. Aim of the study this study was carried out to explore the factors determining choice of delivery place among women of childbearing age. Subjects & Method A convenience sample of 200 postpartum women were recruited by simple random sampling technique from the eight districts in Alexandria Governorate. Two tools were used for data collection. Results More than one-half (58%) of women had fair level of knowledge about the delivery place compared to 42% who had poor knowledge. The highest percentage of them (34%) preferred to have their future delivery at private hospitals followed by 27% of them who preferred private clinics. Conclusion Based on the findings of the present study, it could be concluded that slightly less than threefifths (58%) of the studied subjects had fair knowledge level regarding the delivery places. Additionally, 58% of them had chosen the hospitals whether private or governmental as a place for future delivery due to the availability of health care providers and good supplies and facilities. Moreover, they will choose the most affordable hospital available. A positive correlation was found between the knowledge about delivery places and age, education level and residence. Recommendation Continuous monitoring of women's satisfaction with all aspects of care during delivery could aid in improvement of the quality of services and ultimately improve the women's attitude toward the different delivery places.