A Maternity Waiting Home Is an Alternative Approach for the Accessibility of Pregnant Women in an Obstetrically Underserved Area of Korea

Abstract

Background: We analyzed whether a maternity waiting home (MWH) for pregnant women in an obstetrically underserved area of Gangwon-do in Korea, which has been in operation since August 2018, has improved the accessibility of a maternity hospital and pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: We compared and analyzed the accessibility of maternity hospitals for 170 pregnant women who applied for the MWH from August 2018 to May 2022. Among the 170 participants, 64 were MWH users and 106 non-users. The effect on pregnancy outcomes between MWH users and non-users was analyzed in the 160 people who achieved a pregnancy outcome.

Results: Although the average distance and travel time from the pregnant women's residence in the obstetrically underserved area to a maternity hospital were 56.4 ± 1.6 km and 63.4 ± 1.4 minutes, respectively, the average distance between the MWH and the MWH users' maternity hospital was 2.7 ± 0.2 km, and the travel time was 10.7 ± 0.6 minutes. The distance was 55.6 km closer on average and the travel time 54.1 minutes shorter. MWH users gave birth at a significantly later gestation age (38.9 ± 0.2 vs. 38.3 ± 0.15 weeks, P = 0.024) and to infants with heavier birth weights (3,300 ± 60 vs. 3,100 ± 50 gm, P = 0.024) compared with non-users. The rate of Cesarean section was significantly higher in the MWH users (47.5% vs. 44.6%, P = 0.047). The MWH users tended to be associated with a lower rate of neonatal intensive care unit admission (5.1% vs. 11.0%, P = 0.204), lower birth weight (< 2.5 kg) (1.7% vs. 8.0%, P = 0.155), and lower fetal death rate in the uterus (0% vs. 1.0%, P = 1.0) compared with non-users, but the differences were not significant.

Conclusion: The MWH helped pregnant women in obstetrically underserved areas by improving accessibility to a maternity hospital and lengthening gestation. As a result, neonatal birth weight was heavier for MWH users than non-users. MWHs in Korea can provide an alternative way to improve accessibility to maternity healthcare for pregnant women in obstetrically underserved areas, where it is difficult to establish maternity hospitals, and thereby will improve their pregnancy outcomes.

Keywords: Maternal Health; Maternity Waiting Home; Neonatal Health; Obstetrically Underserved Area.