Association of Birth Companionship by Former Traditional Birth Attendants with Birthing Experiences of Parturient Women in Kakamega County, Kenya
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Date
2021-07
Authors
Ndedda, O. Crispin
Orago, Alloys S
Oyore, John Paul
Gichangi, Peter
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ijhss
Abstract
The current model of maternity care is institution-centred, rather than woman-centred. Women's experiences illuminate
midwives' efforts to maintain power and control by situating birth as a medical event and to secure status by focusing on
the technical elements of care, including controlling bodies and knowledge. A study conducted in Kenya, India and Ghana
concluded that regardless of the setting, women are not getting adequate person-centred maternity care and that such
care varied by socioeconomic status, type of provider and type of facility. Most women in Kakamega county labour alone.
As a result, women in labour experience ‘emotional distress’, ‘stressful circumstances’, ‘lack of social support’ and may
not open up to service providers contributing to unfavourable birth outcomes. To investigate the association between
supportive companionship provided by traditional birth attendants and birthing experiences of parturient women
during labour and childbirth in Kakamega County, Kenya. A quasi-experimental cross-sectional mixed method design
was adopted involving 2367 parturient women in Kakameg a county, Kenya. Former traditional birth attendants were
trained and deployed as birth companions providing emotional support in the form of encouragement, advice,
information, comfort measures and physical support to women during labour and childbirth in intervention health
facilities. Measurements were taken at baseline and after implementation of the birth companion intervention from
control and intervention health facilities using a questionnaire capturing data on client satisfaction, anxiety and selfesteem.
Data was summarized using frequency distributions and cross tabulations and presented in the form of tables
and graphs. Associations were determined using Pearson’s correlation and independent sample t-test. The study found
traditional birth attendant as birth companions significantly improved birthing experiences of parturient women.
Supported women they had higher levels of satisfaction, lower anxiety and higher self-esteem than those who were not
supported.
Description
Research article
Keywords
Traditional Birth Attendant (TBA), Birthing Experiences, Patient-Centred Care, Emotional Support, Continuous Labour Support
Citation
Crispin, N. O., Orago, A. S., Oyore, J. P., & Gichangi, P. (2021). Association of Birth Companionship by Former Traditional Birth Attendants on Birthing Experiences of Parturient Women in Kakamega County, Kenya. The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies, 9(7).