Giving Birth at Home in Resource-Scarce Regions of India: An Argument for Making the Women-Centric Approach of the Traditional Dias Sustainable

Abstract

The report examines how dais’ traditional knowledges and practices can manage low-risk births while empowering low-income women during labor and delivery. While traditional birth attendants or dias have been marginalized in the maternity care policy and their contibution towards maternal and neonatal care has been underappreciated. Despite their marginalization they continue to assist homebirths in low resource areas of the country. The study attempts to explore why many Indian women still choose dais in rural areas with poor infrastructure and low quality of facility-based care. It highlights dias and their skills continue to be effective because they share the cluture, language and social background of their clients and offer "cultural safety".