Maternity Waiting Village Evaluation

Maternity Waiting Homes (MWHs), which seek to encourage safer, facility-based deliveries by housing high-risk and near-term pregnant mothers near health facilities that provide obstetrical care, are becoming a common strategy to reduce maternal and infant mortality, meaning that many are being built throughout sub-saharan Africa at a rapid pace.

The Maternity Waiting Village in Kasungu, Malawi—designed by MASS and completed in fall 2015—provides a unique opportunity to evaluate how the design of a MWH influences user satisfaction and use. MASS is conducting a quantitative research study to compare the Kasungu Maternity Waiting Village with the standard Ministry of Health prototype, to determine how design performance measures (like comfort, privacy, and attractiveness) create an improved experience for mothers, leading to increased use and subsequent deliveries, ultimately resulting in improved maternal and neo-natal outcomes.

Results will contribute to the literature regarding how building design impacts patient satisfaction and use. Additionally, results will provide policy makers and leaders with valuable information to help them make informed decisions about MWH design so as to maximize their use.