Village birth attendants in Papua New Guinea.

AIM: To describe the care delivered by village birth attendants in a remote area of Papua New Guinea. METHOD: A qualitative study using semistructured interviews with 56 voluntary village birth attendants. RESULTS: Village birth attendants supervise and assist women with labour and delivery. Many have additional roles in their community. Most are motivated by a desire to help the women in their community. Common difficulties encountered include obstetric and logistical problems. The most common reason for ceasing work is family pressure or lack of support. DISCUSSION: Village birth attendants may contribute toward an improvement in maternal morbidity and mortality in remote areas of Papua New Guinea.