Table 4 Examples of women’s birth stories from 2012 and 2014

Home

“All day I worked on the farm. At 7 pm, labor pain started. At 12 am, female baby was born at home.”

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“I didn’t know about the hospital and I don’t have anyone who could carry me to the hospital.”

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“I planned to go to the hospital to give birth. I knew about the 1000 NRs [government incentive]. My home condition is very bad and I have no support for people to bring me to the hospital. I had a long course of labor pain, but couldn’t find anyone to carry me to the hospital, so I delivered at home.”

“I had 4 ANC checks - one at hospital and rest 3 at the HP. I had planned to deliver at the HP, but my labor started suddenly and by the time people had gathered to take me to the HP, I had already delivered. I am planning to deliver my next baby at the hospital though.”

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“I had planned to deliver at the hospital and I was on my way as well. But I delivered mid-way. There wasn’t any safe birth kit, no clean cloths. So, it was very difficult.”

Facility

“I started having labor pain and since the hospital is nearby I walked to the hospital and had my baby safely delivered.”

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“A mother of two wanted to give birth in the hospital because they were close by and because the mother thought it would be safer. Her previous children were born at home. Belly pain started late into the night and the family called the ambulance. Unfortunately, the ambulance was not working so it was not able to pick her up. The family got together and found a stretcher. She was carried on a stretcher during the night, one hour away from the hospital. She delivered in the early morning at Bayalpata Hospital.” [as translated]

“I wanted to go to BH to deliver, but there was nobody to help me to the hospital [so I went to the village clinic instead]. My husband is in India and there is just an old mother-in-law at home. But I did complete all four ANCs, took my iron tabs regularly and also the Immunization.”

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“This was my first pregnancy… I completed 4 ANCs. I had also arranged for money and cloths. When the labour pain started, we called the jeep. I delivered normally in the hospital. I am very happy.”

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“I had thought that if I can’t deliver normally then I would deliver via operation. But I could deliver normally, so I am very happy. I also got very good service in the hospital. Because I didn’t have enough money I couldn’t afford to travel to the hospital. But here I was given [government incentive] money for return travel.”