MALAPPURAM: The prevalence of home births is significantly higher in Malappuram compared to other districts, reveals health department data. Health department officials unequivocally point out that this unsettling trend has led to an augmented risk of neonatal and infant mortality. Disturbingly, a substantial number of families in the district are opting for home births over the safer option of institutional deliveries.
This choice has been attributed to various factors, primarily fuelled by the undue influence of individuals conducting home births and misconceptions surrounding childbirth.
The figures provided by the health department paint a distressing picture. During the 2021-22 financial year, around 270 home deliveries were recorded in the district, followed by 266 in the subsequent financial year. Shockingly, the ongoing financial year has already witnessed over 80 home deliveries, and this number is projected to rise in the coming months. A stark comparison reveals that other districts report less than 20 home deliveries in an entire financial year.
Dr Pameeli N N, the deputy DMO and District Reproductive Child Health Officer, said that local practices involve relying on traditional midwives (Dai), naturopathy practitioners and acupuncture practitioners. “We have identified five such traditional midwives in the district. We have also issued strict directives to some of them against performing deliveries. Shockingly, instances have emerged where deliveries were assisted by individuals with expertise in unrelated fields, such as acupuncture. Naturopathy practitioners actively promote home deliveries through house visits, perpetuating this practice,” Pameeli said.
Pameeli highlighted the perilous consequences of this trend. She emphasised that home deliveries drastically amplify the rates of newborn and infant mortality in the district. “In Malappuram, 40 to 50 children under the age of five die each month. Home deliveries contribute significantly to this high number,” the deputy DMO said.
She noted that individuals opting for home deliveries tend to show hesitation toward vaccinations, exacerbating the health risks. “Our recent analysis of 30 infant deaths in Malappuram has revealed that 12 out of those 30 children had not received essential vaccines. Tragically, a child’s demise due to measles could have been prevented had they received the measles vaccine,” she said. Specific regions within Malappuram, including Tanur, Tanalur, Vengara, and Kuttipuram, have witnessed a disproportionately high number of home deliveries.
Malappuram DMO R Renuka firmly condemned the dangerous practice. She underscored that home deliveries jeopardise the lives of both mothers and infants, highlighting the critical need for professional care during childbirth. “Traditional midwives or Dais and similar practitioners lack the necessary expertise to ensure the well-being of the mother and child. Moreover, homes lack essential facilities to address critical medical emergencies. Additionally, comprehensive screenings for various diseases, including heart and metabolic conditions, are routinely conducted in institutional deliveries. Such screenings are absent in home births, further increasing the risk of neonatal deaths,” she said.