Abstract: In despite of skilled delivery is one of the most tracked Millennium Development Goal indicators, the
proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel in Ethiopia is very low. This study aimed at assessing level of
institutional delivery service utilization and associated factors among mothers who gave birth during the last twelve months
prior to this study. A community based cross sectional study design which is supplemented by qualitative method was
conducted on April 2013 in Goba Woreda. One urban and 8 rural smallest administrative unit (kebele) was selected using
simple random sampling technique. Then, mothers were selected systematically after 580 study subjects were
proportionally allocated to each kebele. Qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions (FGDs). Data were
entered and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Frequencies, binary and multiple logistic regression analysis were done.
The study indicated that 264 (47%) of the mothers delivered in health facilities. The common reasons for health facilities
delivery were seeking better service (80.2%) and told to deliver on health facility by health professionals during Anti Natal
Care follow up (36.1%). As compared to rural residents, urban residents were 3.6 times more likely to deliver on health
facility (AOR=3.6 and 95% CI =1.86, 7.13), Anti Natal Care visit during last pregnancy (AOR=2.7 and 95% CI=1.42, 5.24)
and maternal education level (AOR=3.1 and 95%CI=1.41, 6.82) had positive significant associations with institutional
delivery service utilization. As compared to government strategy, institutional delivery service utilization was lower in the
study area. Place of esidence, Anti Natal Care visit and maternal educational level were found to be associated with
institutional delivery service utilization. Strategies with focus on increasing Anti Natal Care uptake and increasing maternal
and their partners’ educational level help to increase health facility delivery service utilization.