A strategy to increase the number of deliveries with skilled birth attendants in Kenya

Abstract

Objective: To increase the number of deliveries with skilled birth attendants (SEAs) in Kenyan health facili¬ties, with assistance from traditional birth attendants (TBAs). MetllOds: In the Yatta district of Kenya, TEAs were recruited to attend meetings in which they were encouraged to educate pregnant women about the importance of delivering in health facilities; they were offered a small stipend for each pregnant woman they brought to a facility for SBA delivery. The primary outcome was the percentage of prenatal care patients who delivered at intervention health facilities compared with control facilities. Results: During the year preceding the intervention, 102/524 (19.5%) and 413/2068 (20.0%) prenatal care patients had SBA deliveries at intervention and control facilities, respectively, During the t-year study period, 217/440 (49.3%) prenatal care patients delivered at intervention health facilities and 415/1995 (20.8%) delivered at control facilities (P<O.OOl). Deliveries at intervention facilities increased 113% in the study year compared with the preceding year. Conclusion: The rate of SBA births in health facilities increased when TBAs were recruited and compensated for bringing women to local health facilities to deliver. © 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Ali rights reserved,