International Journal of Public Health Science (IJPHS) Vol.6, No.2, June 2017, pp. 104~111 ISSN: 2252-8806, DOI: 10.11591/.v6i2.6638  104 Socio-Cultural Factors Influencing Uptake of Skilled Childbirth Services among Women in Kaiti Division, Makueni District (Kenya) Anthony Wambua Mathulu 1 , Benard Wambua Mbithi 2 1 Department of Health, Government of Makueni County, Kenya 2 Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya Article Info ABSTRACT Article history: Received Mar 12, 2017 Revised May 15, 2017 Accepted May 29, 2017 Each year, over 500,000 women die from the complications of pregnancy and child birth, almost all of them in the developing countries. This trend can be addressed by increasing the rates of skilled care during childbirth. This study therefore sought to establish the socio-cultural factors influencing uptake of skilled childbirth care which has remained low in Kaiti Division. The researchers applied a descriptive cross-sectional study design which involved women of childbearing age (15-49 years). The study was conducted in March 2010 and had a sample size of 246 women which was randomly selected from the estimated target population of 12,077. The researchers applied both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The tests of significance employed included Fisher’s exact test, chi-square, test and logistic regression. The study established that the proportion of women attended to by the skilled attendant within various age cohorts was higher (58.9%) amongst the youth/adolescent (15-24 years) (P-value = 0.091 0.05,  2 10.915 df 6).). Skilled attendance declined among the grand-multiparas (para4 and above) from 7.7% in Para 4-5 to 2% in Para 6+ (P-value = .0000.05,  2 34.888 df 3; Para 1(p =0.000, OR 28.391), Para 2-3 (p =0.000, OR 7.564), Para 4-5(p=0.030, OR 3.493) Further findings indicated that the principal decision maker (46.7%) on type of assistant in the last delivery was the woman (P-value = 0.000 0.05,  2 56.076 df 5). However, the husband was the leading (39.5%) decision maker in use of a skilled assistant in the last delivery (p=0.000, OR 15.667). More than two thirds (70.7%) of the respondents who performed a ceremony prayed for safe delivery in their last delivery. The study concluded that women’s parity, decision making and religion were significant in use of skilled childbirth services. Keyword: Skilled Birth Attendants Skilled Childbirth Services Socio-Cultural Women of Reproductive Age Copyright © 2017 Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science. All rights reserved. Corresponding Author: Anthony Wambua Mathulu, Department of Health, Government of Makueni County, Kenya, P.O. Box 19-90137, Kibwezi (Kenya). E-mail:mathulu@yahoo.com;amathulu@gmail.com 1. INTRODUCTION Each year, over 500,000 women die from the complications of pregnancy and childbirth, almost all of them in the developing countries [1],[2]. More than 70% of the maternal deaths are attributed to five major complications (severe bleeding, infections, unsafe abortions, eclampsia, and obstructed labour) and 77% occur during or shortly after childbirth arguing the need for skilled health care during this period [3]-[5]. Increasing the rates of skilled care during childbirth is widely recognized as a priority strategy for reducing maternal mortality and as the target indicator to measure progress towards the Global Goal of improving maternal Health [1],[6],[7]. Worldwide, 63.1% of births are attended to by a skilled health care worker. Journal homepage: https://www.iaescore.com/journals/index.php/IJPHS