A multifactorial study of birth place options: improving health care delivery in Saudi Arabia

Although consumer demands may dictate a review of the highly mechanized and sophisticated technology of obstetric care provided in some parts of the western world, problems in Saudi Arabia revolve around under-utilization of health care facilities for maternity care and the consequences of this circumstance. A multifactorial analysis was performed to study the association of certain social correlates with options for birth settings in a rural region of the Kingdom. Age and educational level of the mother were found to be highly significant (P less than 0.005) variables influencing the choice for place of delivery, whereas economic status (P greater than 0.1) and housing conditions (NS) tailed to make an equally impressive contribution. Within the constraints of available health care manpower at the local level, suggestions are made for the best strategy to successfully educate mothers for safer options in birth.