# The intentions of pregnant women to give birth at a health facility and associated factors in the Aleta-Wondo rural District, Ethiopia: A community based cross-sectional study

## TL;DR

This study explores why many pregnant women in rural Ethiopia prefer not to give birth at health facilities and identifies key factors influencing their decisions.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific factors influencing pregnant women's intention to give birth at health facilities in a rural Ethiopian district.

## Key findings

- Only 61.3% of pregnant women intended to give birth at a health facility.
- Receiving information from health professionals significantly increased the intention to give birth at a facility.
- Perceived threats and barriers were significant deterrents to facility-based childbirth.

## Abstract

Pregnancy and childbirth-related complications are the leading causes of death among women of the reproductive age group. Giving birth at a health facility is crucial to prevent these complications. Hence, this study aimed to assess the pregnant women’s intentions to give birth at a health facility and associated factors in the Aleta-Wondo rural District, Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 421 pregnant women. Data were collected by using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. The collected data were entered into Epidata 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used to assess the presence and strength of association. A p-value ≤0.05 was applied to declare statistical significance. Generally, 61.3% (95% CI: 57.0, 66.3) of the respondents intended to give birth in a health facility. Receiving information from health professionals (AOR = 2.6; 95% CI: 1.5, 4.4), perceived threats (AOR = 4.5; 95% CI: 2.6, 7.6), perceived benefits (AOR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1, 4.9), perceived barriers (AOR = 0.4; 95% CI: 0.3, 0.7) were factors significantly associated with pregnant women’s intention. Pregnant women’s intention to give birth in a healthcare setting is low in the study area. Strengthening information communication with healthcare professionals and reducing threats and barriers that affect pregnant women’s intentions is essential. Moreover, we recommend further research with mixed methods.