---
title: "Pregnant women's experiences in Maternity Waiting Homes in Ari zone, Ethiopia: a qualitative study"
id: "bmj-open-8-experiences-of-pregnant-women-staying-in-a-maternity-waiting-home-at-ari-zone"
canonical_url: "https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/bmj-open-8-experiences-of-pregnant-women-staying-in-a-maternity-waiting-home-at-ari-zone"
content_type: "clinical_feed_article"
specialty: "General"
source_name: "BMJ Open"
source_url: "http://bmjopen.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/16/9/e123323?rss=1"
published_at: "2026-09-04T11:29:48.000Z"
evidence_level: "Journal Feed"
license: "CC-BY-NC-4.0 / Informational Use"
---
# Pregnant women's experiences in Maternity Waiting Homes in Ari zone, Ethiopia: a qualitative study
## Provenance & Clinical Metadata
- **Canonical URL:** https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/bmj-open-8-experiences-of-pregnant-women-staying-in-a-maternity-waiting-home-at-ari-zone
- **Specialty:** [General](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/general.md)
- **Primary Source:** BMJ Open
- **Source URL:** [Original Journal Publication](http://bmjopen.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/16/9/e123323?rss=1)
- **Published At:** 2026-09-04T11:29:48.000Z
- **Evidence Rating:** Journal Feed
## Executive GIST (TL;DR)
- This qualitative phenomenological study explored lived experiences of 15 pregnant women who stayed at **maternity waiting homes (MWHs)** in public health facilities across the Ari zone, southern Ethiopia. - Data were collected through in-depth interviews conducted from 15 June 2025 to 15 July 2025, transcribed, translated and analysed using Open Code V.4.02 and Colaizzi's seven-step framework. - Participants had stayed at least one week in an MWH during their current pregnancy and were purposively sampled until data saturation. - Rigour was maintained using Guba's trustworthiness criteria: credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. - Four principal thematic domains shaped women's experiences: emotional responses, social dynamics, practical/infrastructural challenges, and perceived value for safer birth. - Emotional findings: women reported mixed feelings — isolation and anxiety from separation from home contrasted with comfort and relief from proximity to skilled care. - Social findings: peer support from other women and staff attitudes influenced experience; family and cultural obligations remained a source of stress. - Practical challenges: participants described financial strain, poor food availability and inadequate physical facilities within MWHs. - Despite barriers, women valued MWHs for increased confidence and improved access to **skilled birth attendants**, perceiving them as contributing to safer childbirth. - The authors conclude that improving MWH quality, providing psychosocial support and addressing community and cultural factors are important to increase uptake and improve maternal outcomes. - The paper recommends future intervention studies to test whether targeted psychosocial and food-security support improves experiences and utilisation of MWHs.
## Clinical Analysis & Structured Key Points
Background Maternity Waiting Homes (MWHs) are a key strategy for improving maternal health by bringing expectant women closer to health facilities and skilled birth attendants. Despite their potential benefits, a woman's stay is shaped by various factors, including emotional, social and logistical aspects. Objectives This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of pregnant women using maternity waiting homes in the Ari zone public health facilities, Ethiopia. Design A qualitative phenomenological study, grounded in a descriptive (Husserlian) phenomenological orientation and analysed using Colaizzi's seven-step framework. Setting Public health facilities providing MWH services in the Ari zone, southern Ethiopia, ranging from a zonal hospital to primary health centres. Participants 15 pregnant women, who had stayed in an MWH for at least 1 week during their current pregnancy, selected using purposive sampling until data saturation was reached. Methods We conducted in-depth interviews from 15 June 2025 to 15 July 2025 to match the Study Area and Period section. The data were transcribed, translated and thematically analysed with Open Code software V.4.02 to identify key themes and subthemes. The rigour of the study was ensured by applying Guba's trustworthiness criteria, with a focus on credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. Results Based on the findings, the experiences of women in maternity waiting homes centred on four main themes. Emotionally, women faced both isolation and anxiety from being away from home but also felt comfort and relief from being near medical care. Socially, they found support from other women and were influenced by the attitudes of health staff while also carrying the burden of family and cultural concerns. Practical challenges included significant financial burdens, lack of food and inadequate facilities. Despite these difficulties, women ultimately valued the homes for the increased confidence and improved access to skilled care they provided for a safer birth. Conclusions A woman's experience in an MWH is shaped by a mix of emotional, social, infrastructural and cultural factors. To improve the use of MWHs and maternal health outcomes, it is crucial to enhance the quality of these facilities, offer psychosocial support and involve communities. Future intervention studies should test whether targeted psychosocial and food-security support measurably improve women's experiences and MWH uptake.
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