Factors influencing high rate of 'born-before-arrival' babies in Nigeria--a case control study in Ogbomosho

The purposes of this study were to examine the records of the birth-before-arrival mothers in order to identify factors which might explain why so few booked for hospital care and also to identify the post-delivery problem which lead them to seek professional help. Data from the hospital records and interviews with some of the 377 born-before-arrival mothers seen at the Baptist hospital, Ogbomosho, Oyo State, Nigeria between 1982 and 1985 were analysed using descriptive statistical methods. Findings indicated that 65% of the mothers attending after delivery outside hospital had been delivered by a traditional birth attendant. Of these 73.7% sought hospital attention following retained placenta with bleeding. The first step towards improving perinatal care will be the official integration of the indigenous midwives into the national health services to enhance organized programmes of training for the traditional birth attendants. The implications of these findings suggest that traditional birth attendants and professional carers in Nigeria should improve liaison and cooperation between themselves so as to correct the imbalance in health service provision between the major cities and rural areas.