A midwife based in Benin City, Mrs Juliet Ede, has expressed concern over the increasing number of pregnant women in Edo State who are not attending antenatal clinics, despite the availability of free maternal healthcare services in government health facilities.
Speaking during an interview in Benin, Ede noted that many expectant mothers still shun hospital-based care in favour of prayer houses and traditional medicine, a practice she said exposes both mothers and unborn babies to avoidable complications.
She explained that reliance on spiritual healing and herbal mixtures often delays critical medical intervention. “Many of them prefer prayer houses and traditional herbs instead of coming to the clinic. They believe faith alone will keep them safe, but when complications such as bleeding or high blood pressure occur, it becomes an emergency,” she said.
According to her, antenatal services are crucial for detecting and managing pregnancy-related conditions like pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and placenta previa at an early stage. Routine screenings such as blood pressure checks and urine tests, she added, help health workers prevent life-threatening outcomes.
Ede revealed that her facility handled 20 deliveries in the previous month, which included five referrals and four near-fatal cases involving women who had little or no antenatal supervision. She stressed that early monitoring could have prevented many of the emergencies recorded.
She also noted that antenatal clinics provide vital health education, nutritional guidance, and information on warning signs during pregnancy and labour, all of which improve maternal outcomes.
The midwife advised women with a history of hypertension, diabetes, or previous pregnancy complications to seek medical attention immediately after confirming pregnancy. She further cautioned against home births without skilled attendants, warning that emergencies can arise unexpectedly during labour.
Health professionals define antenatal care as a series of medical check-ups, tests, and counselling sessions designed to monitor the health of both mother and baby throughout pregnancy. Despite its importance, many women in Edo State still fail to register early, leading to preventable complications for mothers and infants.
According to health workers, low antenatal attendance is often linked to poverty, lack of awareness, weak family support, and cultural or religious beliefs.
A mother of three, Mrs Grace Ojo, said she postponed antenatal registration during her last pregnancy because she assumed she could not afford the expenses. Like her, several women in similar situations depend on advice from relatives and neighbours, only seeking hospital care when complications develop.
Ede, however, clarified that maternal health services are provided at no cost in government primary healthcare centres under the Edo State Health Insurance Scheme’s Equity Plan.
The initiative, managed by the Edo State Health Insurance Commission (EDHIC) under the leadership of its Director-General, Dr Augusta Ikpea-Enaholo, covers antenatal services, delivery care, postnatal support, and routine immunisation for enrolled pregnant women.
She called for stronger public awareness campaigns to ensure more women are informed about the free services and encouraged to register early for antenatal care. Ede also urged government agencies, health professionals, religious leaders, and traditional birth attendants to collaborate in promoting safe motherhood practices.
She concluded that improving antenatal attendance would significantly reduce maternal and infant deaths across communities.