Perspectives of pregnant women on the utilisation of a maternity waiting home near Onandjokwe Lutheran Hospital in Oshikoto Region, Namibia

TL;DR

This study explores why pregnant women in Namibia do not use maternity waiting homes, identifying barriers like theft, food scarcity, and long distances.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the underutilization of maternity waiting homes in Namibia from the perspective of pregnant women.

Findings

Barriers to MWH use include inadequate rooms, theft, food scarcity, and poverty.

Enablers include safe deliveries by skilled staff and reduced transport costs.

Long distances and poor living conditions also limit MWH utilization.

Abstract

Despite the efforts of Namibia’s Ministry of Health and Social Services to build maternity waiting homes (MWHs), few pregnant women make use of them. Long distances among the general population in Namibia limit the utilisation of MWHs. Little research has investigated what factors are limiting the use of these facilities despite the urgent need for them. The aim of this study thus was to explore and describe the perspectives of pregnant women on the utilisation of the MWHs near Onandjokwe Lutheran Hospital in Oshikoto Region.

A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design was employed. The accessible population in this study comprised 18 participants who were selected for the study using a purposive sampling technique.

Participants reported numerous barriers to visiting MWHs in Namibia, including an inadequate number of rooms, theft, food scarcity and the effects of poverty on the living conditions of the MWH users. Enablers visiting MWHs included the safe delivery of babies by skilled staff, reduced transport costs, access to timely management of labour complications and affordable accommodation.

The study revealed that a number of barriers must be overcome before the desired number of women take advantage of MWHs. Multiple factors act as constraints to their use, including inadequate number of rooms, theft, food scarcity and the long distance between patients’ homes and MWH services.

The study’s findings can be used to develop targeted interventions and strategies that can be used by MWH providers to address the identified barriers.