ABSTRACT
The role played by birth attendants in maternal health care delivery is very crucial in the growth of a nation. Different programs had been implemented globally to improve maternal health in order to reduce maternal mortality. Women of reproductive age (15-49yrs) are prone to risk factors or complications during pregnancy which requires close monitoring by either a skilled birth attendants or traditional birth attendants. Skilled birth attendants are professionals who are trained to care and manage complications during pregnancy, child birth and postpartum period. Traditional birth attendants don’t have formal training but acquired skills through apprenticeship and gift from God through dreams and revelations. This study explored the services rendered by the TBAs and SBAs in Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa State i.e. how they register their clients, monitor the progress of the pregnancy, detect signs and complications, medication administration, prevention of infection and treatment of the cord.
OBJECTIVES
The study is aimed to assess the roles played by the birth attendants, identify the preference of the women and the determinants for the utilization of the birth attendants.
METHOD
The study was carried out in Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa State. An In-depth interview and focus group discussion methods of data collections were utilized for the birth attendants and women whose last born were under five years respectively. A total of 45 TBAs, 50 SBAs and 586 women were recruited in the study. A multistage sampling technique was applied at the ward level then simple random sampling was used to select six communities and 586 women whose last born were under five years were recruited from house to house in the six selected communities and a focus group discussion was used to assess the determinants for the utilization of the birth attendants. The services rendered by skilled birth attendants and traditional birth attendants were assessed using in-depth interview and structured questionnaire was also used as a guide. Data analysis was done with IBM SPSS version 25 software. Chi-square test was used to assess the associations. The level of significance was set at p≤ 0.05.
RESULTS
It was discovered that 28.0 (56%) of TBAs acquired their skills as a gift of God, 13.0 (26.0%) from dreams, 7.0 (14.0%) through apprenticeship and 2.0 (4.0%) through revelation. SBAs registered all clients for antenatal care but the TBAs didn’t. The TBAs examined the pregnant women and detected complications by massaging while the SBAs used fetoscope, BP apparatus, thermometer, tests and scan. SBAs treated the cord with Chlorhexidine gel, methylated spirit and umbilical gel while the TBAs treated the cord with methylated spirit, close up, never die leaves, alligator pepper and robb. Four hundred and twenty-one (71.8%) respondents preferred SBAs, 162.0 (27.7%) respondents preferred TBAs while 3.0 (0.5%) women used both birth attendants. The association on the levels of satisfaction received by the respondents was statistically significant (p<0.02). The focus group discussion revealed the factors that determined the utilization of the birth attendants which included; family’s financial strength/cost of treatment, training and skill acquired to manage complications, men’s involvement and support and proximity to centre of care.
