Utilization of approved health facilities for delivery in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.

This was a cross-sectional population survey carried out to determine utilization of approved health facilities for delivery by mothers in Ile-Ife and factors influencing the observed utilization. A total number of 117 mothers who had delivered once or many times were selected using the systematic sampling method. Information was collected using pretested structured interview administered questionnaire. Data collected was analyzed using frequency tables and statistical test of significance. Of the 117 mothers interviewed, 70 (59.8%) booked in approved health facilities while 51 eventually delivered in the approve health facilities. The prominent reasons given for non utilization of health facilities were time of occurrence of labor, difficulty with transportation, fear of surgical operation, husband/family influence and delivery assistance by TBA's and relatives. Educational status of the mother, religious beliefs, distance from approved health facilities more than 5 km and attitude of health workers were amongst factors significantly influencing choice of place of delivery by the mothers.