Preferences and Practices regarding Delivery Place: A community-based cross-sectional study in Agra city, Uttar Pradesh

Background: Understanding preferences and practices for delivery place among women would assist in better resource utilization for skilled attendants. Objectives: To study factors influencing women’s preference and practice regarding their place of delivery. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in Agra from 1st October 2018 to 31st October 2020. Multi-stage random sampling was used. Data was collected using semi-structured interview schedule. Both bivariate and multivariate analysis was done. Result: Majority (72.67%) of women had preference for delivery at government hospital while 19.67% for private hospital and only 7.67% for home. In actual practice, 58.33% had delivered at government hospital and 32.33% delivered at private hospital while 9.33 % at home. On multiple-logistic regression analysis, parity found to have significant association with preference of delivery at government hospital. Preference for delivery in private hospital was found to be significant with OBC caste and in women whose husband has skilled/highly-skilled occupation. In actual practice, Government hospital as delivery place found to have significant association with parity and presence of ASHA. Private hospital as a delivery place found significant with literate mothers and parity. Conclusion: Majority had preferred and practiced institutional delivery, preferring government hospital over private hospital. In actual practice, delivery at private hospital as well as home delivery out-numbered the preferred proportion.