Child Birth in Nigeria

Nigeria, which has a large population is faced with serious limitations such as inadequate health facilities and trained personnel. As a result, 70% of women in the child bearing age depend on traditional birth attendants, traditional healers and herbalists for their health care who are usually Illiterates without any formal training in delivery procedures and with strong beliefs in supernatural powers.

 In the modern set up, as soon as pregnancy is established the woman is advised to report at the nearest antenatal clinic for a thorough physical examination.  She is advised on nutrition, personal, food and environmental hygiene, rest, exercise and activities that must be avoided.   She goes for regular check-ups and tests and is watched and cared for during labor and delivery and transferred to a hospital if any problems arise.  Traditional methods of caring for women during pregnancy, labor, delivery and puerperium are however not as organized and are usually wrapped up in myths, beliefs and traditions which often have adverse health effects on mothers and babies.


“Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate is still comparable to those countries at war or [just emerging from war],” Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, who chairs the Nigerian senate health committee, told IRIN.
Half of Nigeria’s maternal deaths are due to postpartum hemorrhaging, which unskilled health workers lack the know-how or equipment to stop, said maternal health expert Arabi Tukur of Yola, 473km northeast of the capital Abuja.

 With an average of 5.5 births per woman, West Africa has the world’s highest fertility rates, which puts women at greater risk of dying in birth, according to UNICEF.