Training traditional birth attendants in Guatemala

Abstract

Many women choose to deliver with traditional birth attendants in Guatemala--a fact that cant be ignored argue local public-health officials. They hope a new culturally sensitive approach to training TBAs will help improve their quality of care and save lives. Jill Replogle reports. Two dozen Mayan traditional midwives or comadronas watch intently as their colleagues demonstrate manual removal of a retained placenta. Febe Guarcas an experienced comadrona from the local Vida Association of traditional midwives leads the training. She claims that in nine months the association has helped save a dozen mothers lives by teaching comadronas to recognise signs of risky pregnancies and births and refer these patients to the nearest health facility. (excerpt)