Why some women still prefer Traditional Birth Attendants

Whereas the recent statistics show that 69 percent babies are delivered from health facilities in Rwanda, women in the other percentage still prefer the company of Traditional Birth Attendants. A preliminary report of the Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS), 2010 reveals that the percentage of babies delivered by a health professional has substantially increased. Figures show a significant increase from 52 percent in 2007 to 2008 to 69 percent in the 2010 RDHS. According to Josephine Murekezi, the Chairperson of the Rwanda Midwives Association, women are being encouraged to deliver from health facilities instead of going to Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs). She said that some women however, still opt for TBAs instead of seeking professional midwives. The substantial increase is worth celebrating but one still wonders why some women still visit TBAs in spite of the Rwandan Government’s effort to have them deliver from health facilities. Murekezi attributes this to fear and ignorance. “Some women are more comfortable with the traditional birth attendants who they are used to,” she said adding that, “…other women find it expensive to deliver from health facilities and so TBAs come in handy as a cheaper option for them.” Murekezi noted that incentives are given to TBAs to encourage professional child birth hence reduce maternal mortality. “When a TBA brings a woman to give birth at a health facility, we give them some money as an incentive. This encourages them to bring more pregnant women to health facilities,” said Murekezi. She stated that they plan to increase the number of midwives and strengthen their capacity through educating more of them in them in the nursing schools. Kabatesi (not real names), a mother of four, who sells clothes at Kimironko market said that TBAs have a lot more experience that ‘those midwives’. “These women are usually so informed than the midwives who study midwifery for a year or so. Our mothers and grandmothers used to give birth with the help of traditional birth attendants. “They never got any complications yet they gave birth to many children. Most of them really know what they are doing so there is no need to go to a professional midwife yet I can get the same service from a traditional birth attendant,” Kabatesi explains. Kabatesi says that she has given birth to three of her children using TBAs. Her main reason being, “some midwives are so rude unlike a TBA, who will give you good customer care and a lot of attention like one’s own mother would.” Murekezi explained that they are doing all they can to encourage women to deliver with the help of professional midwives. “There are Community Health Workers all over the country. These follow-up on pregnant women, encourage them to go for antenatal care and persuade them to deliver from hospitals,” Murekezi affirmed. m.kaitesi@yahoo.com