70 home births in Bulawayo in two months a cause for concern

Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, [email protected]

BULAWAYO recorded more than 70 home births in two months with reports that these may result in the country failing to meet sustainable development goals on reducing maternal and neonatal deaths.

Reasons behind the risky decision to deliver at home without skilled personnel vary from high prices of ambulance services, maternity fees, and poor health-seeking behaviour from pregnant teenagers.

Some women have also delivered at home as they could not afford to timely commute to public hospitals where maternity fees were scrapped.

According to the latest council report, 72 babies were born before arrival at council clinics in September and October this year.

However, the report shows that the number of women who do antenatal care visits went up.