Experiences of pregnant women staying in a maternity waiting home at Ari zone public health facilities, Ethiopia: a phenomenological qualitative study.

چکیده اصلی

BACKGROUND: Maternity Waiting Homes (MWHs) are a key strategy for improving maternal health by bringing expectant women closer to health facilities and skilled birth attendants. Despite their potential benefits, a woman's stay is shaped by various factors, including emotional, social and logistical aspects. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of pregnant women using maternity waiting homes in the Ari zone public health facilities, Ethiopia. DESIGN: A qualitative phenomenological study, grounded in a descriptive (Husserlian) phenomenological orientation and analysed using Colaizzi's seven-step framework. SETTING: Public health facilities providing MWH services in the Ari zone, southern Ethiopia, ranging from a zonal hospital to primary health centres. PARTICIPANTS: 15 pregnant women, who had stayed in an MWH for at least 1 week during their current pregnancy, selected using purposive sampling until data saturation was reached. METHODS: We conducted in-depth interviews from 15 June 2025 to 15 July 2025 to match the Study Area and Period section. The data were transcribed, translated and thematically analysed with Open Code software V.4.02 to identify key themes and subthemes. The rigour of the study was ensured by applying Guba's trustworthiness criteria, with a focus on credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. RESULTS: Based on the findings, the experiences of women in maternity waiting homes centred on four main themes. Emotionally, women faced both isolation and anxiety from being away from home but also felt comfort and relief from being near medical care. Socially, they found support from other women and were influenced by the attitudes of health staff while also carrying the burden of family and cultural concerns. Practical challenges included significant financial burdens, lack of food and inadequate facilities. Despite these difficulties, women ultimately valued the homes for the increased confidence and improved access to skilled care they provided for a safer birth. CONCLUSIONS: A woman's experience in an MWH is shaped by a mix of emotional, social, infrastructural and cultural factors. To improve the use of MWHs and maternal health outcomes, it is crucial to enhance the quality of these facilities, offer psychosocial support and involve communities. Future intervention studies should test whether targeted psychosocial and food-security support measurably improve women's experiences and MWH uptake.

ترجمه فارسی چکیده

خانه‌های انتظار مامایی (MWH) استراتژی کلیدی برای بهبود سلامت مادران هستند. این مطالعه به بررسی تجربیات زندگی زنان باردار در خانه‌های انتظار مامایی در مراکز بهداشت عمومی منطقه آری، اتیوپی پرداخت. این مطالعه کیفی با رویکرد پدیدارشناختی توصیفی (هوسرلی) و تحلیل با استفاده از چارچوب هفت مرحله‌ای کولایزی انجام شد. ۱۵ زن باردار که حداقل یک هفته در خانه انتظار مامایی بوده‌اند، با نمونه‌گیری هدفمند انتخاب شدند تا اشباع داده محقق شود. داده‌ها از ۱۵ ژوئن تا ۱۵ ژوئیه ۲۰۲۵ با مصاحبه‌های عمیق جمع‌آوری شد و با نرم‌افزار Open Code V.4.02 تحلیل موضوعی شدند. اعتبار مطالعه با استفاده از معیارهای اعتمادپذیری گوبا تضمین شد. نتایج نشان داد تجربیات زنان بر چهار موضوع اصلی متمرکز بود: عاطفی (تنهایی و اضطراب در کنار آرامش و اطمینان)، اجتماعی (پشتیبانی از دیگر زنان و تأثیر نگرش کارکنان بهداشت همراه با بار فرهنگی)، و عملیاتی (فشار مالی، کمبود غذا و امکانات ناکافی). با وجود این چالش‌ها، زنان ارزش خانه‌ها را برای افزایش اعتماد به نفس و دسترسی به مراقبت‌های ماهرانه برای زایمان ایمن می‌دانستند.

متن کامل اصلی