Reasons for Choosing Traditional Birth Attendants as Childbirth Helpers: A Phenomenological Study at Borong Health Center
Fransiska Nova Nanur
Midwifery Diploma Three Study Program, STIKES Santu Paulus Ruteng
Abstract
The East Nusa Tenggara Province has launched a KIA revolution program. The program emphasizes that all birth deliveries must be carried out in health facilities and assisted by skilled health workers. This program has not been implemented well on account of the fact that there are still pregnant women who deliver at home and choose a traditional birth attendant as their helper. This certainly has an impact on the occurrence of maternal death. This study aims to investigate the reasons as to why the mothers choose a traditional birth attendant as a birth delivery helper at Borong Health Center. A qualitative study with in depth interviews was conducted for the present study. The participants were selected purposely, consisting of eleven mothers who gave birth at home and were assisted by a traditional birth attendants, two midwives, and two active traditional birth attendants, one community leader and the head of the community health center. Open interview guidelines were used to explore the reasons why mothers still chose traditional birth attendants for their birth deliveries. Data were analyzed by thematic analysis approach. The results of the study showed that the unavailability of transportation facilities to health facilities, hereditary traditions, kinship with the traditional birth attendant, poor weather during delivery and poor road conditions made it difficult for mothers and families to go to health facilities. Henceforth, in order to increase the coverage of childbirth in health facilities, a village ambulance program is needed so that the mothers could give birth at health facilities, health education to increase public awareness about the importance of delivery in health facilities and infrastructure improvements.
Keywords: Labor, traditional birth attendant, qualitative
Topic: Maternal, neonatal and child health