Women's experiences giving birth outside of health facilities in Kenya during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted maternal healthcare access globally, leading many women to give birth outside of healthcare facilities, often assisted by traditional birth attendants (TBAs). This study explored the experiences of Kenyan women who gave birth outside of healthcare facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic based on the Person-Centered Maternity Care (PCMC) framework.

Design/setting

This study used data from descriptive qualitative indepth interviews with Kenyan women who gave birth outside of healthcare facilities between March and November 2020. Participants lived within the catchment areas of six health facilities in Kiambu and Nairobi counties and were recruited by community leaders and community health workers. Interviews were conducted in 2020 via

SUBMITTER: Woofter R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12439143 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature