A needs assessment study of traditional birth attendants in rural Kenya

For several reasons traditional birth attendants (TBAs) still deliver the majority of women in many developing areas of the world. A needs assessment study of TBAs serving one area of Kenya was conducted for the purpose of designing an appropriate intervention program. Thirty-six TBAs were interviewed. Together, they had attended to a total of 116 deliveries within 1 month. The local hospital was conducting an average of 37 deliveries per month. Although most TBAs were good at abdominal palpation, they did not conduct routine prenatal checks and rarely referred their clients to hospital. Several risky practices were identified from which a training program has been designed. The findings and their implications are discussed within the context of improved MCH/FP services.