The costs of ‘free’: Experiences of facility-based childbirth after Benin's caesarean section exemption policy

Isabelle L. Lange, Lydie Kanhonou, Sourou Goufodji, Carine Ronsmans and Véronique Filippi

Social Science & Medicine, 2016, vol. 168, issue C, 53-62

Abstract: As one of many similar policies in the region, in 2009 Benin launched a free c-section policy in publicly funded hospitals intended to decrease the barriers to facility delivery and the heavy financial burdens on women and their families. We conducted a qualitative study for eight months between 2012 and 2014 to understand women's experiences of care in maternity wards. We carried out semi-structured interviews with 30 women who had delivered via c-section at five hospitals. Two of these hospitals became case study sites where in-depth research was undertaken that consisted of participant observation in each maternity ward and 32 further interviews with women who had complicated, vaginal and c-section deliveries.

Keywords: Maternal health; Quality of care; Caesarean section; Delivery care; Exemption policies; User-fees; Benin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:socmed:v:168:y:2016:i:c:p:53-62

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DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.09.008

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