Understanding Women Experiences of Seeking and Receiving Maternity Services in Montserrado and Bong Counties, Liberia

Abstract

This study draws on women-centered approaches to improving maternal health services based on their lived experiences and personal perceptions on their experience of care with different cadres of healthcare providers. This paper is divided in two sections: Part 1 discusses the political economy as it relates to the context. Part two reports on the research project we completed on this topic “understanding women experiences of seeking and receiving maternity services in Montserrado and Bong Counties, Liberia.” We used an in-depth qualitative assessment of women’s experience with maternal health care services. We conducted focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and participant observation. From four hospitals across two locations, we purposefully selected 72 women between the ages of 15-49, including pregnant women, mothers of infants, and skilled midwives who were directly involved in caring for women. Three main themes/categories emerged from our study: 1) challenges associated with accessing care at a public health facility; 2) women perceiving private caregivers/traditional birth attendants as a better alternative; and 3) lack of trust in the public healthcare system.