Analysis of the Influence of Home Visits by Trained Traditional Birth Attendants on Uptake of Maternal Health Services in Gombe State, Northeast, Nigeria

Abstract

The access and utilization of maternal health services had been very low since 2008 in Gombe State, Northeast, Nigeria. The health facility delivery was always highest for women who had at least four home visits, with 21% points higher than for women with no home visits in quarter 3 and 32% points higher in quarter eight.  This article reveals that trained traditional birth attendants home visits are capable of breaking traditional and religious beliefs and practices which prevent women from going for ANC, delivery and postnatal care resulting in low utilization of maternal and neonatal healthcare services. The researcher posits that to improve maternal survival it is important to increase the number of pregnant women who receive ANC and who deliver in a health facility in Gombe State where contacts between healthcare provider and pregnant women remain low. He further reiterated that with little incentives and supportive supervision for trained TBAs, early detection and referral of women with obstetric complications would overtime witness geometrical increase. Linkages of healthcare providers and trained TBAs will foster team spirit in saving maternal and neonatal lives. Training and retraining of healthcare providers will improve clients-providers relationship, hence; attract more patronage on the part of community women.