Factors that influence childbirth services in Indonesia include geography, education, and economics. Non-resident women tend to use private health facilities rather than institutionalized health facilities that are more accessible. Putri and Laksono (2022) emphasized the importance of empowering women so that they can take advantage of safe childbirth at health facilities. The challenges faced by women in accessing safe childbirth services in Indonesia include:
- Geographical barriers: women who are not residents tend to use community-based health facilities rather than institutionalized health facilities due to distance and accessibility issues.
- Education: women with inadequate knowledge of pregnancy danger signs and lower antenatal care visits are more likely to choose childbirth at home rather than at a health facility.
- Economic conditions: the study found that access to institutionalized health services is a barrier for women to use safe childbirth services, thus emphasizing the importance of empowering women so that they can use safe childbirth in health facilities.
- Lack of husband discussion: women who never discussed with their husbands about their planned place of childbirth were more likely to choose to give birth at home.
- Maternal health service programs: the government has implemented maternal health service programs to minimize home childbirth and increase mothers’ utilization of these services. However, there is insufficient evidence that these policies effectively reduce maternal mortality.
- Limited access to safe childbirth services: these findings highlight the importance of empowering women to utilize safe childbirth in health facilities, suggesting that access to safe childbirth services is a challenge faced by women in Indonesia.
According to Putri and Laksono (2022), non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have an important role in improving maternal health in Indonesia through several initiatives:
- NGOs are involved in educating women about the danger signs of pregnancy, antenatal care, and the importance of institutionalized health services for childbirth services.
- NGOs implement community-based programs to provide support and resources to women in rural and underserved areas. These programs improve access to health services and overcome geographical barriers.
- NGOs conduct policy advocacy and work with the government to promote maternal healthcare programs and increase funding for these initiatives.
- NGOs empower women and provide support in decision-making about health and maternity services.
- NGOs advocate for increased access to safe childbirth services, especially for women in remote areas.
Predictors of childbirth services in Indonesia
Nuzulul Kusuma Putri, Agung Dwi Laksono
The Government of Indonesian implemented maternal health service programs to minimize at-home childbirth services and increase mothers’ utilization of its services. There is not enough evidence these policies are effectively decreasing the maternal mortality rate. Hence, this study aimed to analyze the predictors of each specific childbirth services in Indonesia. This study used the secondary dataset of the 2012 Indonesian demographic data survey (IDHS). The sample was 17,769 women ages 15 to 49 years old. We performed logistic regression for the multivariate case to identify the predictors of childbirth service. Geographical, education, and economic condition significantly predict childbirth services. Women who are not residents tend to use a community-based facility than institutionalized health. Women with higher parity, inadequate knowledge on pregnancy danger signs, lower antenatal care visits, and never had any discussion with their husbands about the planned place of giving birth tend to prefer giving birth at home than health facilities. Women’s decision to use a safe childbirth service is hindered by demanding access to reach institutionalized healthcare. Our findings highlighted the importance of women empowerment to enable women to utilize safe labor in a health facility.
By: I. Busthomi