(PHCII) - MMH/MMS

ABSTRACT
Health unit delivery is a problem in Kigoma district as it is for other districts in the
region.
The study was conducted in Kigoma district between November 2001 to April 2002
Kigoma district. It was a descriptive cross sectional with the aim of determining the
magnitude and factors influencing to low health unit deliveries. The mult-stage sampling
procedures were employed to select eight (8) villages to be involved in the study.
The overall 52% of deliveries took place outside health units while 48% took place in
health facilities. More than a half 54.5% of mothers were not knowledgeable on maternal
risks during pregnancy labour/delivery. While health unit utilization by women living far
more than 6km was low compared by those living close within 5km to the health facility
(P < 0.001).
Another contributing factor for low health unit delivery was poor knowledge in the
community including low level of education for women attending ANC clinics. However
the role-played by relatives should be taken into account as 58.94% of mothers who had
home delivery were assisted by their relatives. Furthermore the more the mother attends
ANC visit the more she is likely to deliver in health facility being 31% of mothers who
had more than four (4) visits while pregnant.
Age influences place of delivery that is the more the women become older the higher the
chances of delivering at home. Home delivery was proclaimed to be due to sudden onset
of labour , self preference, poor quality of obstetric care, long distance to health units and
high cost of hospital deliveries.
This study recommends that health education to the community on advantages of
conducting their deliveries in health units, where skilled personnel will attend them
should be intensified and made more effective.
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