Delays for Utilizing Institutional Delivery and Associated Factors Among Mothers Attending Public Health Facility in Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Labour and delivery are the shortest and most critical period during pregnancy and childbirth. The major factors that contribute to maternal death in developing countries are: delay in deciding to seek care, identifying and reaching medical facility, and receiving adequate and appropriate treatment. The study aimed to determine delays in institutional delivery and associated factors among mothers attending public health facilities, southern Ethiopia. Facility based Cross sectional study was employed on 397 labouring mothers attending Negist Elene Mohamed memorial general hospital. The sample size was determined by using single population proportion formula and the data were collected consecutively until the required sample sizes achieved. Descriptive data analysis was conducted to identify summary values and multiple logistic regressions were performed to identify independent predictors for the delays. All the analysis was done using SPSS for windows version 16.0. A total of 384 labouring mothers were participated in this study. The proportion of mothers who exhibited the first delay was 154(40.1%). Maternal unemployment [AOR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.118, 5.441]; husband educational status [AOR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.204, 4.408]; and antenatal care visit [AOR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.277, 0.713] were the independent predictors of the first delay. Mothers who experienced the second delay were 114(29.7%). For this delay, distance [AOR, 14; CI, 7.895, 26.558]; uneducated mothers [AOR, 3; 95% CI, 1.397, 6.711]; and means of transportation [AOR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.314, 0.995] were determinants. Mothers who experienced the 3 rd delay were 125(32.6%). The main predictors were multiple referral levels [AOR, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.068, 0.347]; absence of care provider [AOR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.060, 2.697]; and lengthy admission process [AOR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.279, 3.776]. The very high percentage of each delay in this study suggests low utilization of emergency obstetric care among labouring mothers.