Table 1.

Facilities selected in Benin as subunits of analysis for the FEMHealth research project

	Category 1	Category 2	Category 3
Wealth index (100—mean index of poverty, %)	Low 54.4	Moderate 67	High 75
Availability of health facilities (mean radius of coverage of health centres, km)	Moderate (5.1)	Low (12.4)	High (2.1)
Utilisation of health services (proportion of institutional deliveries, %)	Moderate (72.1)	Low (56.3)	High (85.5)
Health district selected	Health District of Come-Grand-Popo-Houéyogbe-Bopa Health District of Dassa-Zoume-Glazoué	Health District of Nikki-Kalalé-Pèrèrè Health District of Bembèrèkè-Sinendé	Health district of Porto-Novo-Aguegue-Seme-Kpodji
Hospitals implementing the user fee exemption for caesarean sections policy within the health districts selected	District hospital of Come-Grand-Popo-Houeyogbe-Bopa District hospital of Dassa-Zoume-Glazoué	District hospital of Nikki-Kalalé-Pèrèrè District hospital of Bembèrèkè	Regional hospital of Ouémé-Plateau Hospital El-Fatheh Hospital Bon Samaritain