Birthing Choices Made by Pregnant Women on Mageta Island, Western Kenya

Abstract

Birthing choices play significant roles in maternal outcomes. This article describes the birthing choices made by some women on Mageta Island (hereafter called simply “the Island”) of Western Kenya in relation to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and free maternity services (FMS) policy ideals. Kenya has officially rolled out UHC and has also initiated universal coverage of maternal healthcare services to reduce maternal morbidities and mortalities. In 2016, the government of Kenya expanded FMS, called the Linda Mama (Taking Care of the Mother) initiative, which targets all pregnant women, newborns, and infants by offering free maternal healthcare services. Despite the existence of UHC and FMS in Kenya, women living on the Island have no access to such services. They therefore devise mechanisms for accessing maternal healthcare services.