title: Traditional Birth Attendants in Rural Northern Uganda: Policy, Practice, and Ethics.
abstract: The current emphasis on skilled attendants as a means to reduce maternal mortality contributes to a discouraging policy environment for traditional birth attendants (TBAs). They continue to attend a significant number of births, however, such that their role and the policies and practices affecting their work remain important to understanding maternity health care and maternal health in the global South. In this article, I examine the policies and practices governing community elders practicing as TBAs in rural northern Uganda. This discussion is relevant to health workers in developing countries and to scholars in fields such as women's studies, sociology, and public health.
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice , Vancouver British Columbia , Canada.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rudrum
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008880:Midwifery; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D019035:Rural Health Services; D012424:Rural Population; D014454:Uganda