Why home delivery can be dangerous
The attendant helped Saudatu to deliver the child safely but suddenly Saudatu began to bleed profusely. Saudatu lost pints of blood and was already gasping for breath when her husband arrived with a taxi to take her to the nearby clinic. Before Saudatu got there, she died. The doctor who confirmed her dead said Saudatu […]
The attendant helped Saudatu to deliver the child safely but suddenly Saudatu began to bleed profusely. Saudatu lost pints of blood and was already gasping for breath when her husband arrived with a taxi to take her to the nearby clinic. Before Saudatu got there, she died. The doctor who confirmed her dead said Saudatu died as a result of Post motum haemorrhage. Though her child survived, she did not live to see her. This is one out of the many women who die during delivery in Nigeria.
The real danger for home birth occurs especially if the woman in labour is alone or only supported by her partner. Even though it is true women have been giving birth at home before the emergence of professionals in a hospital, these types of home birth have always recorded a high rate of danger for both mother and child. And, there is always the possibility of a previously low risk pregnancy to become high risk in just a few minutes. Having the skills to know when you’re dealing with an emergency situation is crucial for a successful home birth.
An unattended home birth is one in which the woman is supported by friends, her partner, or an unskilled birth attendant. Dr Nathaniel Adewole, Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital explained problems that could arise from home deliveries.
“During the process of delivery, if the pelvis is not monitored by skilled professional, the woman may not be fully dilated before taking delivery. In other words, the woman is asked to ‘push’ when it is not yet time. This could lead to excessive bleeding which can cause her death.
Again, the unskilled attendant cannot monitor the heart beat of the child properly which helps to know if the baby is in danger or not. Because the baby may be doing well but could suddenly develop any problem which could lead to the death of the baby in the womb. If a woman delivers in the hospital she is likely to be under skilled midwives to ensure the delivery of her child without any hitch.
Again, when the baby is delivered, what are they going to use to clamp the cords? If an unsterilized clamp is used then the mother and the child are likely to be infected. One of the major causes of neonatal death is infection of the child at birth.”
Dr Adewole advised that women should insist on giving birth in the hospital rather than taking the risk of delivering at home. Women should know to deliver their babies in a hospital or maternity home under the supervision of skilled birth attendant. Delivery at home causes danger to the mother as well as the child.