The beliefs and practices of traditional birth attendants in the Manxili area of KwaZulu, South Africa: a qualitative study.

The World Health Organization recommends that people be within an hour of the nearest health care facility. In the Manxili region of KwaZulu, South Africa, difficult terrain and tribal fighting make this nearly impossible for pregnant women. Therefore, traditional birth attendants provide much of the midwifery services in this area. They have no medical training, and their beliefs and practices are not well understood. This study, therefore, gathered data on the beliefs and practices of seven attendants, using a case study analysis. Beneficial as well as harmful customs were identified and suggestions made for education of the attendants.