Publication:

Beyond our labour pains: women experiences of informal payments and delivery room conditions at birth in the Bongo district of Ghana

Background Evidence of poor delivery practices is rife in northern Ghana. The study aims to unearth women perceptions of delivery and informal payments conditions in rural Ghana.

Methods Quantitative and qualitative data was collected between March-May 2015 in study district. A survey questionnaire collected data among 90 eligible women whiles FGD (n=17) and IDI (n=15) data was collected among different groups of women.

Results Women who ever paid informally (aOR =11.3, 95% CI. 0.637-200.428) were more willing to pay informally for accessing maternity care. Women expression of informal payments as inevitable (aOR =4.3, 95% CI 0.056-326.999) influenced their willingness to pay informally. Expression of informal payments as gratitude was 5 times likely to influence willingness to pay informally.

Conclusions To meet women expectation for clean, friendlier and supportive delivery services, facility environments must create conducive space for women use of delivery services. Identifying mechanisms to improve delivery care conditions is important to promote good maternity standards.