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:
Percentage of births attended by skilled health personnel during a specific time period
Measurment Method:
The percentage of births attended by skilled health personnel is calculated as the number of births attended by skilled health personnel (doctors, nurses or midwives) expressed as total number of 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 delivery for a period up to five years before the interview. Service/facility records could be used where a high proportion of births occur in health facilities and therefore they are recorded.
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:
Data for global monitoring are reported by UNICEF and WHO. These agencies obtain the data from national sources, both survey and registry data. Before data can be included in the global databases, UNICEF and WHO undertake a process of data verification that includes correspondence with field offices to clarify any questions. In terms of survey data, some survey reports may present a total percentage of births attended by a type of provider that does not conform the joint statement by WHO, ICM and FIGO (e.g., total includes provider that is not considered skilled, such as a community health worker). In that case, the percentage delivered by a physician, nurse, or a midwife are totaled and entered into the global database as the SDG estimate.
Disaggregation:
Location, education level, wealth quintile, health personnel, place of delivery, boundaries: administrative and health regions
Primary data sources:
Household surveys
Alternate data sources:
Routine facility reporting system
Measurment frequency:
Annual Every 3 – 5 years (depending on frequency of household surveys)
