An analysis of births outside health facilities in Maseru Health Service Area Lesotho

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2007-12
Authors
Seipobi, Esther M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: According to the Ministry of Health/Social Welfare, 95% of all pregnant women attend ante-natal care at the health facility provided by skilled providers (MOH/SW, 2003:17). However, less than 50% of those pregnant women give birth at the health facility. The aim of the study was to describe births outside a health facility as a phenomenon. The objectives were to identify the place of birth outside a health facility, identify who the helper/attendant was during the birth, identify the reasons why the women gave birth at home, explore the mothers experiences regarding the birth, the outcomes of the health process, and describe cultural practices adhered to during birth. A non-experimental descriptive and exploratory design with a survey as a method was used. A semi-structured interview with an interview schedule with closed ended and open ended questions were used to gather data. A purpose sampling method was used to select 8 health facilities in the Maseru Health Service Area as well as 344 respondents for the study. Ethical principles relevant to conduct research involving human subjects was adhered to, such as obtaining the necessary permission to enter the field and complying with the human rights of the respondents. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from respondents of all ages, living in town, peri-urban and rural settings of Maseru Health Service Area. The methodology of the study was simply but thoroughly explained. The results of the study showed that women gave birth at home, assisted by their mother or family members. The reasons why they gave birth at home were either intentional (e.g. wanted to be amongst family members) or unintentional (e.g. baby came too fast). The mothers experience regarding the birth was generally good and the outcomes of the birth process were positive because there were no negative consequences for mother and baby. Mothers gave birth at home with the help of a family member or TBA who sometimes is the only help available in the community and that is why one of the recommendations is to train the community members (e.g. traditional birth attendant) to support safe motherhood as well as the mothers right to choose her own place of birth.
Afrikaans: Volgens die Minister van Gesondheid en Sosiale Welsyn woon 95% van swanger vroue voorgeboorte klinieke vir sorg deur opgeleide gesondheidsorgwerkers by, maar slegs 55% van die swanger vroue skenk geboorte in 'n gesondheidsorgfasiliteit. Die doel van die studie is om geboortes buite gesondheidsorgfasiliteite as fenomeen te beskryf. Die gestelde doelwitte is om die plek van geboorte te identifiseer, wie die ondersteuner/helper tydens die geboorte was en die redes waarom vroue tuis kraam. Die moeders se ervaring van die geboorte, die uitkomste van die geboorte wat nie in fasiliteite plaasgevind he! nie, asook die kulturele gebruike/gelowe betrokke, was verdere doelwitte van die studie. 'n Nie-eksperimentele ontwerp wat beskrywend en verkennend van aard is, met die opname as metode, is gebruik. Data vanaf die vroue wat buite gesondeheidsorg fasiliteite gekraam het, is deur middel van 'n semigestruktureerde onderhoud met die hulp van 'n onderhoud skedule ingesamel. Hierdie skedule het oop sowel as geslote vrae bevat. 'n Doelbewuste steekproef seleksie is gedoen om agt gesondheidsorgfasiliteite wat moeder en baba sorg in Maseru Gesondheidsorg area fewer asook 344 respondente wat nie in gesondheidsorg fasiliteite gekraam het nie, te identifiseer. Die etiese beginsel met betrekking tot menslike navorsing is nagekom naamlik die nodige toestemming om die navorsingsveld te betree asook ingeligte toestemming vanaf die respondente is verkry. Die semi-gestruktureerde onderhoud is met vroue wat aan die insluitingskriteria voldoen het, afkomstig van stedelike sowel as plattelandse areas, gevoer. Die resultate van die studie loon dat die meeste vroue tuis gekraam het met die ondersteuning van hul moeders of ander familielede. Die hoofredes was dat hul die tuisgeboorte beplan he! omdat hul tussen bekende persone wou kraam. Sommige vrouens is oorval deur die kraamproses aangesien hul nie beplan he! om tuis le kraam nie. Die meeste moeders he! 'n positiewe tuisgeboorte-ervaring gehad en daar was geen negatiewe uitkomste nie, aangesien alle moeders en babas se welstand bevredigend na die kraam was. Aangesien moeders steeds verkies om tuis te kraam en omrede tradisionele geboorte ondersteuners (TBA) dikwels die enigste persoon wat in die gemeenskap beskikbaar is om te help, is daar verskeie aanbevelings bemaak om die moeder se keuse rakende die geboorteplek van haar baba, te kan ondersteun wat onder andere insluit die opleiding van die TBA.
Description
Keywords
Maternal health services -- Lesotho -- Maseru, Childbirth at home -- Lesotho -- Maseru, Midwifery -- Lesotho -- Maseru, Dissertation (M.Soc.Sc. (Nursing))--University of the Free State, 2007
Citation