Factors Affecting Home Delivery among Women Living in Remote Areas of Rural Zambia: A Cross-Sectional, Mixed-Methods Analysis

Luapula Province has the highest maternal mortality and one of the lowest facility-based births in Zambia. The distance to facilities limits facility-based births for women in rural areas. In 2013, the government incorporated maternity homes into the health system at the community level to increase facility-based births and reduce maternal mortality. Despite the policy to stopping traditional birth attendants from conducting deliveries at home and encouraging all women to give birth at the health facility under skilled care, many women still give birth at home. An exploratory cross section survey was used to gather data by conducting structured interviews with 50 women of childbearing age who had a recent or previous home delivery. The following factors were found to be associated with home deliveries in surrounding villages in kashikishi; abrupt onset/precipitate labor, long distance/transport difficulties to reach the nearest health facility, having had successful HD, poverty/low income and gender though having a small percentage. Parity in which the majority were multiparas’ women, attitude was also associated with home deliveries and other unforeseen circumstances such as a funeral and being alone at home at the onset of labour.