The objective of this study is to investigate factors that influence the utilization of delivery services at the primary health care level in rural Vietnam. A quantitative survey was conducted amongst 200 women who had given birth within the past 3 months. Focus group discussions and in-depth-interviews were then undertaken using the attitudes--social influence--self-efficacy model to obtain complementary information on the delivery decision. The results show that client-perceived quality of services and socio-cultural and economic factors, rather than geographical access, can affect the utilization of delivery services. It is therefore important to improve the cost-efficiency of the health care network, and delivery services should be provided in a client-oriented manner taking into account economic, social and cultural factors.