Utilization and determinants of maternity waiting homes among pastoralist mothers in Dire district, southern Ethiopia: a mixed-methods study.

Background: Maternity waiting homes are cost-effective, World Health Organization-approved components of comprehensive prenatal, delivery, and postpartum care strategies. However, few community-based studies within Ethiopia's pastoralist communities, and none in the study area, have been conducted to determine actual usage or to gain a thorough understanding of the factors influencing utilization.

Methods: A cross-sectional study, supplemented by qualitative methods, was conducted from June 25 to July 25, 2023.