Factors Associated With Utilization Of Skilled Delivery Among Women In Abor Sub-District In The Keta Municipality

ABSTRACT Background: Unsupervised delivery is associated with high maternal morbidity and mortality. About 50 percent of the world’s mothers each year deliver without a skilled attendant. In spite of the several safe motherhood initiatives being ran in Ghana, many women still do not access skilled delivery services, especially in the Abor sub-district of the Keta Municipality of the Volta region. At the same time, few studies have been done in the Abor sub-district to understand the factors influencing utilization of skilled birth services. The purpose of this study was therefore to examine the factors that influence the utilization of skilled delivery in the Abor sub- district of the Keta municipality. Methods: A population based cross sectional survey was carried out in 7 Child Welfare Clinics (CWC) in the sub-district of Abor with a sample of 300 mothers with babies born between January and December, 2016. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage distribution were used to describe characteristics of participants. Inferential statistical analyses such as chi-square, bivariate and logistic regression analyses were used to examine factors associated with utilisation of skilled delivery. Results: Results suggested that skilled delivery utilization was high (78%). Factors such as age, marital status, type of marriage, religion, ANC attendance, staff friendliness, NHIS registration and time taken to reach the health facility were found to influence skilled delivery utilization significantly. Skilled delivery usage was also found to be low in women with increased parity. Conclusion: A number of factors including time taken to reach a health facility, maternal age and NHIS registration influence skilled delivery utilization.