Reasons of home births in the Hausa community in the peri-urban area of Mfou, Cameroon

Résumé

Introduction: Home births (HBs) have a negative impact on maternal mortality,
particularly in rural areas and regions where this practice is widespread. HBs are common
in the northern of Cameroon and in communities in other Cameroonian cities where
internal migrants from the northern and immigrants from the Central African Republic
live. This study aims to describe the reasons for HB among women living in the Hausa
neighbourhood of the Mfou health district in centre region of Cameroon.
Materials and methods: This is a descriptive study conducted among mothers residing
and giving birth at home in the Hausa neighbourhood of the Mfou health district. With
the help of a local guide, a comprehensive list of mothers known to have given birth at
home at least once was compiled. The data collected during individual interviews using a
questionnaire were entered and analyzed using Epi Info 7 software.
Results: A total of 57 mothers who had already given birth at home at least once were
surveyed. The results show that, mothers in the Hausa neighbourhood mostly choose HBs
because of the high cost of care in health centers (29.8%) and fear of going there (21%).
Many of them feel in good health during home birth but lack confidence in their ability
to give birth alone (73.8%). Despite the proximity of health centers (less than 5 km for
87%), 70% have no means of transportation, and nearly half have had a bad experience
related to cost or quality of service. The choice of where to give birth is influenced by
family and traditions, according to mothers. Mothers are calling for lower healthcare
costs, greater respect for patients, and more information about the signs of labor during
pregnancy

Mots-clés

Home birth, home delivery, Access to maternal care, Traditional birth attendance

Citer ce document

Accès au document

Auteur(s)

Statistiques

Consultations : 1

Téléchargements : 0