Abstract:
Background: maternal birth position is the position a mother assumes during childbirth.
Freedom to choose birth positions will benefit the woman, baby, and health system. In Ethiopia,
women are still giving birth by the lithotomy position, despite their preference. Only perception
of mothers on birth position is known in Ethiopia.
Objective: This study was intended to assess the magnitude of women's preferred childbirth
positions and associated factors among postpartum mothers in public hospitals of South West
Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2022
Method: Facilities-based cross-sectional study design supplemented by qualitative data was
conducted from September 1-October 30, 2022. Systematic random sampling techniques was
used to select 633 mothers. Data was collected using interviewer-administered structured
questionnaires and entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and exported into SPSS version 25 for
analysis. Bivariables and multivariable logistic regression analysis were done to identify
associated factors. Variables with p-value <0.05 were identified as statistically significant.
Result: About391(64.2%) of study participants gave birth by their preferred birth
position.Mother age 21-30years (AOR=0.05;95%CI[0.004-0.75]) and 31-40years
(AOR=0.02;95%CI[0.002-0.35]), attending school (AOR=3.88;95%CI[1.38-10.93]),
Government employee (AOR=2.33;95%CI[1.08-5.01]), a monthly income of 2500-
5000ETB(AOR=2.95;95%CI[1.32-6.56]),previous history of home delivery
(AOR=1.96;95%CI[1.02-3.80]) and rural residence (AOR=0.43;95%CI[0.23-0.82]) were
associated with women's preferred childbirth position. The qualitative finding depicts that health
facility and health care providers-related barriers were the main barriers to women's preferred
childbirth position in the study area.
Conclusion: Women's preferred childbirth position was not respected for more than one-third of
study participants. Mother age, educational level, occupation, monthly income, previous place of
birth, and residence were associated with women's preferred childbirth positions. Health facility
and health care providers related barriers were the main barriers to women's preferred childbirth
position. Health professionals in study area should respect the mother's preferred childbirth
positio
