Traditional Birth Attendants and Women’s Health in Indonesia

By Barrie | April 10th, 2008 | No Comments

Approximately 1 in 97 women in Indonesia will die during childbirth or because of complications related to pregnancy. Thankfully, Noni, a 27-year-old mother of four, is alive and well due to proper medical treatment from her local health centre. One recent day, Noni was proudly holding her newborn twin boys while making friendly conversation with Sanro Nurma, a Traditional Birth Attendant (TBA). As a TBA, Ms. Nurma delivered Noni’s previous two children in her home. But giving birth to twins involves some serious risks, so Ms. Nurma brought Noni to the Galesong Health Centre in South Sulawesi in order to deliver the babies safely with the help of hospital professionals. In the past, like millions of other Indonesian mothers, Noni would have relied on a birth attendant alone to assist her during birth. Approximately 40 per cent of deliveries in Indonesia today are assisted only by TBAs. This practice is the predominant contributing factor to the country’s high maternal mortality rate – one of the highest in the region.