Journal
MIDWIFERY
Volume 126, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2023.103836
Keywords
Mothers; Birthing experiences; Care professionals; Community birth attendants
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Despite the availability of professional birth attendants and community birth attendants, women in developing countries still choose to use non-professional birth attendants. Reasons for this choice include hostile interactions with professional birth attendants, imposition of birthing positions by professional birth attendants, and high cost of birthing services by professional birth attendants.
Background: The use of non-professional birth attendants, such as untrained family members and traditional birth attendants, contributes to birth-related complications such as neonatal and maternal mortality. Strategies such as professionally conducted home births and placement of community health professionals close to homes to ensure easy access to skilled birth attendants aim to reduce complications. However, women in labour continue to access the services of unskilled birth attendants in developing settings. Aim: To explore the experiences of women in labour who received care from professional birth attendants and community birth attendants to understand the reasons for continued use of non-professional community birth attendants. Methods: A qualitative approach was used to explore the birthing experiences of nine mothers, aged 20-45 years. In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted to generate data with the help of an interview guide. A content analysis approach was used to organise and interpret the data. Findings: The participants reported hostile interactions with professional birth attendants, imposition of birthing positions by professional birth attendants, high cost of birthing services by professional birth attendants, and safety risks with non-professional community birth attendants. Conclusion: There is a need for explicit health financing systems that ensure mothers are aware and adequately prepared for labour-related costs. Mothers wish to receive care from professional birth attendants, but feel compelled by negative experiences to choose family members and non-professional birth attendants instead. The adherence of health professionals to the fundamental principles of 'Respectful Maternity Care' could reduce their negative attitudes towards women in labour.
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