Connecting-Africa | Find publications

Advanced search

Find:


Title It is not by choice that I gave birth at home: the social determinants of home births during COVID-19 in peri-urban and urban Kenya, a qualitative study.
Full text https://escholarship.org/uc/item/14b5p4zn
Date 2023
Author(s) Sudhinaraset, May; Woofter, Rebecca; Mboya, John; Wambui, Sarah; Golub, Ginger; Mershon, Claire-Helene
Abstract BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the provision of global maternal health services, with an increase in home births. However, there are little data on womens decision-making and experiences leading up to home births during the pandemic. The objective of this study is to examine the economic, social, and health system factors associated with home births in Kenya. METHODS: Community health volunteers (CHVs) and village leaders helped identify potential participants for an in-depth, one-on-one, qualitative telephone interview in Nairobi and Kiambu County in Kenya. In total, the study interviewed 28 mothers who had home births. RESULTS: This study identified a number of economic, social, neighborhood, and health system factors that were associated with birthing at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Only one woman had planned on birthing at home, while all other participants described various reasons they had to birth at home. Themes related to home births during the pandemic included: (1) unmet preferences related to location of birth; (2) burdens and fear of contracting COVID-19 leading to delayed or missed care; (3) lack of perceived community safety and fear of encounters with law enforcement; and (4) healthcare system changes and uncertainty that led to home births. CONCLUSION: Addressing and recognizing womens social determinants of health is critical to ensuring that preferences on location of birth are met.
Subject(s) Birth; COVID-19; Home births; Kenya; Maternal health; Social determinants of health
Publisher eScholarship, University of California
Type of publication article
Format application/pdf
Source BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, vol 23, iss 1
Rights public
Identifier qt14b5p4zn
Repository Berkeley - University of California
Added to C-A: 2023-12-04;09:21:04