Facility-based maternal deaths: Their prevalence, causes and underlying circumstances. A mixed method study from the national referral hospital of Somaliland.

Objective: Somaliland has one of the highest rates of maternal deaths in the world. An estimated 732 women die for every 100,000 live births. This study aims to identify the prevalence of facility-based maternal deaths, the causes and their underlying circumstances by interviewing relatives and health care providers at the main referral hospital.

A lack of reproductive agency in facility-based births makes home births a first choice regardless of potential risks and medical needs-a qualitative study among multiparous women in Somaliland.

Background: Around 20% of births in Somaliland take place at health facilities staffed by trained healthcare professionals; 80% take place at home assisted by Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) with no formal training. There has been no research into women's choice of place of birth.

Objective: In this study, we explore multipara women's needs and preferences when choosing the place of birth.