Abstract
Abstract: This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive analytical assessment of childbirth patterns in government hospitals across three major Iraqi governorates: Baghdad, Basra, and Erbil. These governorates were selected due to their demographic, geographic, and health-system variation. The study employed a quantitative research approach using secondary analysis of data from the 2018 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), one of the most important and nationally representative health surveys in Iraq.
The final analytical sample consisted of 1,293 births after excluding, 128 cases with missing or undefined information regarding the place of delivery, amongst women of reproductive age (15-49 years) from the three governorates, with sample weights carried out to ensure the representativeness of the results. researchers conducted descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, inclusive of descriptive statistics, statistical significance assessments, and logistic regression models, using the Stata software model 16. The findings revealed significant regional variations (P = 0.0008) within the prices of utilisation of presidency hospitals for childbirth. Basra Governorate recorded the very first rate percent at 85.1% (95% CI: 80.9%–88.6%), observed This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive analytical assessment of childbirth patterns in government hospitals across three major Iraqi governorates: Baghdad, Basra, and Erbil. These governorates were selected due to their demographic, geographic, and health-system variation. The study employed a quantitative research approach using secondary analysis of data from the 2018 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), one of the most important and nationally representative health surveys in Iraq.
The final analytical sample consisted of 1,293 births after excluding, 128 cases with missing or undefined information regarding the place of delivery, amongst women of reproductive age (15-49 years) from the three governorates, with sample weights carried out to ensure the representativeness of the results. researchers conducted descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, inclusive of descriptive statistics, statistical significance assessments, and logistic regression models, using the Stata software model 16. The findings revealed significant regional variations (P = 0.0008) within the prices of utilisation of presidency hospitals for childbirth. Basra Governorate recorded the very first rate percent at 85.1% (95% CI: 80.9%–88.6%), observed with the useful resource of Baghdad Governorate at 63.2% (95% CI: 58.2%-67.9%), after which Erbil Governorate at 57.2% (90 5% CI: 41.5%-71.7%).
Multivariate logistic regression evaluation confirmed that financial elements play a pivotal position in determining the selection of birthplace, with wealthier individuals decreasing their chances of the usage of government hospitals by way of 63% (odds ratio: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.16-0.84).
The study concludes that there may be an urgent need for targeted fitness guidelines that do not forget regional specificities and paintings towards equalising health offerings throughout governorates. It also recommends further qualitative research to recognise the underlying elements at the back of those disparities.