author(s)
Busayo Sarah IGE

abstract
Utilization of delivery services is a roadmap to achieving a safe delivery outcome and preventing maternal and neonatal mortality/morbidity among mothers. This study aims to evaluate the utilization of delivery services at the primary and secondary health facilities within the 3 senatorial district in Ekiti State. Low utilization of health facilities during delivery by pregnant mothers is still a major contributory factor for maternal and childhood morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of Health care facilities utilization for delivery by antenatal care attendees in Ekiti State Nigeria. A retrospective study called chart review was used to collect data from selected Hospitals in the three senatorial district using existing data on booking and delivery between 2020 to 2022. The study cut across the State Specialist Hospitals, Comprehensive Health Centres and Basic Health Centres. Overall utilization of health facility for the three years were 75.5%, percentage of pregnant women who did not give birth in the health facility over the three years were 24.5% This implies that despite the efforts of the state Government to ensure easy access to health care, the pregnant women still delivers elsewhere. This study identified disparity between booking and deliveries cases in different Hospitals meaning that there is inadequate utilization of health care facilities for deliveries by pregnant women and this cut across different level of health care and at different location.