Barriers to Institutional Delivery-A Study on Tribals of Narmada District

Abstract

Background: Every minute of every day, somewhere in the world and most often in a developing country, a woman dies from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth.1 as the health of newborn is directly linked with the health and wellbeing of mother, so interventions have been planned to address the issues of maternal health. Through National Rural Health Mission extensive focus has been made on institutional delivery services in order to develop millennium development goals no 1, 4 and 5 2 .In the process of utilization of health care particularly with respect to institutional delivery there are many challenges, and that increases to many fold if it is related to addressing the challenges related to tribal areas. The study explores the barriers to institutional delivery at tribal areas. Methods: Random sampling technique was adopted for the selection of blocks of the district. Qualitative methodology was adopted for the collection of data. The tools used for data collection were In-depth interview, Observation and Case study. The target population for gathering information were pregnant women, Female health workers, Medical officers and staff Nurses of PHC. Results: The main barriers in terms of utilization of institutional delivery services were, Lack of awareness about institutional delivery and government health schemes, Social customs as barriers, poor economic condition of the family, Lack of communication network. Conclusion: The institutional delivery services in tribal areas are affected by various factors which if remain addressed will lead to increase in maternal deaths in the region. The barriers to institutional delivery at tribal areas can be addressed with effective planning.