Factors determining the choice of a place of delivery among pregnant women in Russia village of Jos North, Nigeria: achieving the MDGs 4 and 5

Background: In developing countries, specifically in sub-Saharan countries, many women do not have the good fortune to be attended to by skilled personnel during childbirth. This lack of skilled attendance could be considered as one of the major factors in maternal and infantile mortality. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the determinants of a choice of a place of delivery among pregnant women in Russia village of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state, Nigeria. Methods: This study was a community-based cross-sectional study that was conducted among 140 pregnant women selected by simple random sampling Results: 104 (74.3%) attended ANC, 84 (60%) had their last delivery in the hospital, while 56 (40%) had their last delivery at home. 85 (60.7%) chose to deliver in the hospital, while 55 (39.3%) opted for home delivery in the index pregnancy. Determinants of choice of delivery place include cost of hospital bill (93.6%), unfriendly attitude of health care workers (61.4%), unexpected labour (75%), distance to health care centres (36.4%), and failure to book for ANC (10.7%). 3.6% gave no reason. The older women (P=0.04), those who had no formal education and those with primary school education (P=0.02), house-wives, divorcees, widows, low-income earners, farmers and hawkers were the majority opting for home delivery (P<0.001). Religion and parity however had no significant association with the choice of a place of delivery. Conclusion: Female education, female empowerment, attitude of health care workers and distance of health facilities to the people in most communities are factors to be addressed in reducing child mortality rates and improving maternal health, thus achieving the millennium development goals (MDGs) 4 and 5.