Abbreviated Name:
Births attended by skilled health personnel
Indicator Name:
Births attended by skilled health personnel (%)
Domain:
Health System Response/ Service coverage
Related Terms:
Reproductive, maternal, newborn, live birth, skilled birth personnel
Definition:
Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel (generally doctors, nurses or midwives but can refer to other health professionals providing childbirth care) is the proportion of childbirths attended by professional health personnel. According to the current definition (1) these are competent maternal and newborn health (MNH) professionals educated, trained and regulated to national and international standards. They are competent to: (i) provide and promote evidence-based, human-rights based, quality, socio-culturally sensitive and dignified care to women and newborns; (ii) facilitate physiological processes during labour and delivery to ensure a clean and positive childbirth experience; and (iii) identify and manage or refer women and/or newborns with complications.
Measurment Method:
The percentage of births attended by skilled health personnel is calculated as the number of births attended by skilled health personnel (doctor, nurse and/or midwife) expressed as total number of life births in the same period. Births attended by skilled health personnel = (Number of births attended by skilled health personnel / Total number of live births) x 100. In household surveys, such as the Demographic and Health Surveys, the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, and the Reproductive Health Surveys, the respondent is asked about each live birth and who had helped them during childbirth for a period up to five years (or three years) before the interview. Service/facility records could be used where a high proportion of births occur in health facilities
Numerator:
Number of births attended by skilled health personnel (doctors, nurses or midwives) trained in providing lifesaving obstetric care, including giving the necessary supervision, care and advice to women during pregnancy, childbirth and the post-partum period
Denominator
The total number of live births in the same period.
Estimation method:
Numerator: Number of births attended by skilled health personnel (doctor, nurse or midwife) trained in providing quality obstetric care, including giving the necessary support and care to the mother and the newborn during childbirth and immediate postpartum period Denominator: The total number of live births in the same period. Births attended by skilled health personnel = (number of births attended by skilled health personnel)/(total number of live births) x 100. As part of the data harmonization process, an annual country consultation is conducted by UNICEF. Country inputs are reviewed and assessed jointly with WHO. During the process, SDG country focal points are contacted for updating and verifying values included in the database and obtaining new sources of data. The national categories of skilled health personnel are verified, and the estimates for some countries may include additional categories of trained personnel beyond doctor, nurse, and midwife. This process serves as validation of the reported values. Furthermore, with regard to data obtained from surveys, the validity of such data depends on the correct identification by the women of the credentials of the person attending the childbirth, which may not be obvious in certain countries. Regional and global estimates are calculated using weighed averages. Annual number of births from United Nations Population Division, World Population Prospects are used as weighing indicator. Regional values are calculated for a reference year, including a range of four to five years for each reference year or year range. For example, for 2021, the latest year available for the period 2015-2021 was used. Data sources: National-level household surveys are the main data sources used to collect data for skilled health personnel providing childbirth care. These surveys include Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), Reproductive Health Surveys (RHS) and other national surveys based on similar methodologies. In these surveys the respondent is asked about the last live birth and who helped during delivery for a period up to five years before the interview. Surveys are undertaken every three to five years. Population-based surveys are the preferred data source in countries with a low utilization of childbirth services, where private sector data are excluded from routine data collection, and/or with weak health information systems. Routine service/facility records are a more common data source in countries where a high proportion of births occur in health facilities and are therefore recorded. These data can be used to track the indicator on an annual basis.
Disaggregation:
Age, Location (urban/rural)
Primary data sources:
Household surveys
Alternate data sources:
Routine facility reporting system
Measurment frequency:
Annual
