2. BIRTH PREPAREDNESS
INTRODUCTION
• Birth plan or preparedness is an action that is developed by the woman and her
family members.
• Is not a written document but is an outgoing discussion with the woman and her
family to ensure that she and her baby will receive appropriate care promptly at the
time of birth and if complications arise before or after the birth.
• 15% of all pregnant women develop a life threatening complication requiring
obstetric care.
• Birth preparedness plan is usually given to the woman during first antenatal visit.
3. NATIONAL PROTOCOL
FOR BIRTH PREPAREDNESS & COMPLICATION READINESS
• Encourage all pregnant woman to have Institutional/ trained service providers for
delivery.
• Introduce the concept of a birth plan on a second visit and reinforce on follow up
visits.
• Confirm the place of delivery and the provider with the pregnant woman and
family.
• Provide information on how to recognize onset of labor and when to seek assistance
including danger signs in the pregnancy and labor.
4. FOR INSTITUTIONAL DELIVERY
• Advise the pregnant woman and her husband/ family about when to go the hospital
and take along the necessary things.
• Arrange to have a second person of the woman’s own choice to be present.
• Help her to identify her support people to take care of her children and/ her
household.
• Arrange transportation to go to the health facility for the birth.
• Identification of compatible blood donor in case of emergency.
• Funds for birth related and emergency expenses.
6. AT HOME DELIVERY (EMERGENCY)
• Identify skilled birth attendant.
• Inform pregnant woman about materials required for clean and safe delivery.
• 7 C’s
1. Clean Birth Site — prevents delivery directly on the floor.
2. Clean Hands — prevents the birth attendant from transmitting germs to mother and baby.
3. Clean Ties — prevents bleeding from the umbilical cord for mother and baby.
4. Clean Razor — reduces infection caused by other implements.
5. Clean Gauze — wipes away birth canal secretions from the baby’s eyes, which decreases
the probability of future eye infections.
6. Clean Umbilical Cord — prevents infection by washing and drying the stumps.
7. Clean Perineum
7. RATIONALE OF BIRTH PREPAREDNESS
• Ensure all arrangements for clean and safe delivery
• Availability of skilled birth attendant when the time comes.
• Timely identification of possible risks and complications that cannot be predicted.
• Getting ready as for how to respond to any emergency.
• Minimizing the life threats to mother and baby.
• To provide timely care needed to preserve health and survival of both.
8. COMPONENTS OF BIRTH PREPAREDNESS
• Decision making in an emergency
• Skilled attendant at birth
• Supplies needed for clean delivery
• Identify support people
• Establish a financing plan for delivery.
• Blood donor
• Transportation
9. 1. DECISION MAKING IN AN EMERGENCY
• Appropriate place of birth – home or health care facility and referral.
• Depending upon the woman’s condition the health worker may need to recommend
birth in specific level of health care facility.
• A facility should have staffs, equipments, supplies and drugs available to provide
best care.
2. SKILLED BIRTH ATTENDANT AT BIRTH
• The health worker should discuss the need for SBA, if possible someone trained to
ensure that labor and delivery progress normally and to manage complications if
they arise.
10. 3. SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR CLEAN DELIVERY
• The health worker should advise the needed items, clean, dry and warm clothes for
drying and wrapping the baby, sanitary pads, clean clothes, soap, clean unused
razor blade, water proof plastic bag cover, clean cord ties, clothes for the baby and so
on…
4. IDENTIFY SUPPORT PEOPLE
• Includes those who will accompany the woman and who will take care of the family.
• The family needs to discuss and arrange the following things in advance:
A companion of the mothers choice to support her during birth
Someone to care for the family and house hold in mothers absence
Access resources and support from community and people
An appropriate blood donor is to be arranged in case of emergency
11. 5. ESTABLISHING A FINANCING PLAN FOR DELIVERY
• The health worker should discuss the need to have money available for such things
are:
Saving cost for motherhood
Additional food for pregnant and post partum mother
Medicine and treatment during pregnancy and post partum period
Assistance by skilled health care provider during delivery and family service
Transportation for health care facility
12. 6. BLOOD DONOR
Ensure that the women/ family has identified an appropriate blood donor and that the
person will be available in case of emergency.
7. TRANSPORTATION
Arrangement of transportation system for reaching health care facilities.