There are many factors to consider when making decisions to build new maternity waiting homes (MWHs) or renovate/reconstruct existing structures. Women have voiced concerns about safety, comfort, hygiene, privacy, and services (e.g., food, place to wash laundry, activities to engage in during the day) while staying at MWHs, and thus, these features must be considered in design and location. While community members are willing to take responsibility for MWHs, their resources are limited and often cannot provide what is needed to build and sustain the homes. Therefore, a budget for construction and maintenance should be developed before building begins to help ensure the longevity of the home. Involvement and support from government and district level ministries during the initial design and development phase is also essential to ensure support and sustainability.
Built Environment
Some key components of building a MWH include:
A structure designed with empathy and the end-user in mind (e.g., what facilities and functions are essential for pregnant women living away from their family) (1).
A consideration of budget and patient load (2).
A community owned structure with support from the health facility staff, community leaders, and government agencies will help ensure sustainability, upkeep, and community use.
MWH Structure: Velley-ta Clinic, Liberia [Photo: Joey Perosky]Note: Listed in the “Downloadable PDFs” section below there are several guides that can be used when developing a MWH.
-
* denotes open access
(1) *Henderson S. Empathy in architecture: The Kassungu Maternity Village by MASS Design. Slow Space. 2018, January 10. https://www.slowspace.org/empathy-architecture/
(2) Buser JM, Munro‐Kramer ML, Carney M, Kofa A, Cole GG, Lori JR. Maternity waiting homes as a cost‐effective intervention in rural Liberia. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics. 2019;146(1):74-9. doi:10.1002/ijgo.12830
Additional References:
*Chibuye PS, Bazant ES, Wallon M, Rao N, Fruhauf T. Experiences with and expectations of maternity waiting homes in Luapula Province, Zambia: a mixed–methods, cross-sectional study with women, community groups and stakeholders. BMC pregnancy and childbirth. 2018;18(1):1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-017-1649-1
*JOICFP & IPPF. Maternity waiting house design guide. https://www.joicfp.or.jp/eng/PDF/MWH_DesignGuidebook.pdf
*Lori JR, Boyd CJ, Munro-Kramer ML, Veliz PT, Henry EG, Kaiser J, Munsonda G, Scott N. Characteristics of maternity waiting homes and the women who use them: findings from a baseline cross-sectional household survey among SMGL-supported districts in Zambia. PloS One. 2018;13(12):e0209815. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0209815
McIntosh N, Gruits P, Oppel E, Shao A. Built spaces and features associated with user satisfaction in maternity waiting homes in Malawi. Midwifery. 2018;62:96-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2018.03.020
MHCW Zimbabwe_Maternity Waiting Homes Operational Guidelines.pdf. (2010).
*Maternity Waiting Village / MASS Design Group. ArchDaily. 2020, April 19. https://www.archdaily.com/937721/maternity-waiting-village-mass-design-group
-
Built Environment Table [click to view]
Caregiver Duties Table [click to view]
Equipment & Supplies Table [click to view]
Estimating Costs Table [click to view]
Infrastructure Table [click to view]
Beds, nets, and tables in a MWH in Mansa, Zambia [Photo: E. Todd Ray]
Kitchen in Teh-Myonah Botoe Maternity Waiting Home, Jarkaken Township, Liberia [Photo: Joey Perosky]