Delivery practices of traditional birth attendants in Dhaka slums, Bangladesh.
This paper describes associations among delivery-location, training of birth attendants, birthing practices, and early postpartum morbidity in women in slum areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh. During November 1993-May 1995, data on delivery-location, training of birth attendants, birthing practices, delivery-related complications, and postpartum morbidity were collected through interviews with 1,506 women, 489 home-based birth attendants, and audits in 20 facilities where the women from this study gave birth. Associations among maternal characteristics, birth practices, delivery-location, and early postpartum morbidity were specifically explored. Self-reported postpartum morbidity was associated with maternal characteristics, delivery-related complications, and some birthing practices. Dais with more experience were more likely to use potentially-harmful birthing practices which increased the risk of postpartum morbidity among women with births at home. Postpartum morbidity did not differ by birth-location. Safe motherhood programmes must develop effective strategies to discourage potentially-harmful home-based delivery practices demonstrated to contribute to morbidity.
Fronczak
N
N
Social Sectors Development Strategies, Inc., Boston, MA 02118, USA.
Arifeen
S E
SE
Moran
A C
AC
Caulfield
L E
LE
Baqui
A H
AH
D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods*; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D018743:Perinatal Care; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population