Maternal health in Uganda : understanding the low utilization of skilled attendants in Mukono, Uganda through women's experiences in the health care system

Abstract

This thesis explores the reality of maternal health services facing pregnant women in Uganda. It aims to understand the variety of issues surrounding women's utilization of skilled birth attendants in a weak and underfunded public health system. To explore this central objective, qualitative methods were used and women's narratives were collected through focus groups and interviews. This thesis contends that women's experiences of antenatal and delivery care reveal the systemic barriers of the health care system and the obstacles they face to reaching life-saving maternal care. The findings strongly indicate the complexity of the maternal health crisis and the barriers to accessible and acceptable maternal health care that must be addressed in order to improve maternal and child health outcomes across the country.