Concern is mounting over the high rate of home deliveries in Bauchi State, as new data reveal that the majority of pregnant women continue to give birth outside health facilities, putting both mothers and babies at risk.

Figures released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) show that only three out of 10 women deliver in hospitals, while seven deliver at home. Even more worrying is the fact that more than half of pregnant women who attend antenatal clinics still choose home delivery.

Health stakeholders, alarmed by the trend, are now intensifying efforts to reverse the situation through advocacy, policy reforms, and community engagement.

Addressing policymakers at a two-day forum on maternal and child healthcare, UNICEF health specialist Oluseyi Olosunde warned that without urgent intervention, preventable deaths would continue to occur during childbirth.