The magnitude of chronic diabetes complications and its associated factors among diabetic patients attending the general hospitals in Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a severe challenge to global public health since it is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and rising healthcare costs. 3.0 million Ethiopians, or 4.7% of the population, had diabetes in 2021. Studies on the chronic complications of diabetes in Ethiopia have not been conducted in lower-level healthcare facilities, so the findings from tertiary hospitals do not accurately reflect the issues with chronic diabetes in general hospitals. In addition, there is a lack of information and little research on the complications of chronic diabetes in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to assess the degree of chronic diabetes complications and associated factors among diabetic patients presenting to general hospitals in the Tigray area in northern Ethiopia. METHODS: As part of a multi-centre cross-sectional study, 1,158 type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients from 10 general hospitals in the Tigray region were randomly chosen. An interviewer-administered questionnaire, a record review, and an SPSS version 20 analysis were used to collect the data. All continuous data were presented as mean standard deviation (SD), while categorical data were identified by frequencies. Using a multivariable logistic regression model, the factors associated with chronic diabetes complications among T2D diabetic patients were found, and linked factors were declared at p 0.05. RESULTS: Fifty-four of people with diabetes have chronic problems. Hypertension (27%) eye illness, renal disease (19.1%), and hypertension (27%) eye disease were the most common long-term effects of diabetes. Patients with chronic diabetes complications were more likely to be older than 60, taking insulin and an OHGA (Oral Hyperglycemic Agent) (AOR = 3.00; 95% CI 1.73, 5.26), having diabetes for more than five years, taking more than four tablets per day (AOR = 1.63; 95% CI 1.23,2.15), and having high systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Patients with government employment (AOR = 0.48; 95% CI 0.26, 0.90), antiplatelet drug use (AOR = 0.29; 95% CI 0.16, 0.52), and medication for treating dyslipidemia (AOR = 0.54; 95% CI 0.35, 0.84), all had a decreased chance of developing a chronic diabetes problem. CONCLUSION: At least one chronic diabetic complication was present in more than half of the patients in this study. Chronic diabetes problems were related to patients' characteristics like age, occupation, diabetes treatment plan, anti-platelet, anti-dyslipidemia medicine, duration of diabetes, high Systolic BP, high Diastolic BP, and pill burden. To avoid complications from occurring, diabetes care professionals and stakeholders must collaborate to establish appropriate methods, especially for individuals who are more likely to experience diabetic complications.

Use of non-pharmacological methods in managing labour pain: experiences of nurse-midwives in two selected district hospitals in eastern Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Labour pain usually brings with it many concerns for a parturient and her family. The majority of the women in labour pain may require some sort of pain relief method during this period, be it pharmacological or non-pharmacological. In Tanzania, the use of non-pharmacological methods to relief labour pain remains low among nurse-midwives. We analysed the experiences of nurse-midwives in the use of non-pharmacological methods to manage labour pain, in two selected districts of Pwani and Dar es Salaam regions in eastern Tanzania. This paper describes Non-pharmacological Methods (NPMs) currently used by nurse-midwives, the facilitators, myths and fears related to the use of NPMs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An exploratory qualitative study using in-depth interviews was conducted with 18 purposively recruited nurse-midwives working in labour wards in two selected district hospitals in Pwani and Dar es Salaam regions in eastern Tanzania. Qualitative conventional content analysis was used to generate categories describing the experience of using non-pharmacological methods in managing labour pain. RESULTS: This study revealed that nurse-midwives encouraged women to tolerate labour pain and instructed them to change positions and to do deep breathing exercises as a means to relief labour pain. Nurse-midwives' inner motives facilitated the use of non-pharmacological strategies for labour pain relief despite the fear of using them and myths that labour pain is necessary for childbirth. CONCLUSION: This study generates information about the use of non-pharmacological strategies to relief labour pain. Although nurse-midwives are motivated to apply various non-pharmacological strategies to relief labour pain, fear and misconceptions about the necessity of labour pain during childbirth prohibit the effective use of these strategies. Therefore, together with capacity building the nurse-midwives in the use of non-pharmacological strategies to relief labour pain, efforts should be made to address the misconceptions that may partly be of socio-cultural origin.

How communication can help women who experience a maternal near-miss: a qualitative study from Tanzania.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore experiences of communication as an element of quality of care, among women surviving a maternal near-miss event, thus women who nearly died but survived haemorrhage, or pre-eclampsia complication during pregnancy, childbirth or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy. DESIGN: A descriptive, phenomenological, qualitative study using semistructured interviews with women who survived a maternal near-miss in Southern Tanzania. SETTING: The participants were recruited from two selected hospitals in Mtwara Region, where women sought child birth care and developed near-miss condition. PARTICIPANTS: Participants for this study were women who experienced and survived a maternal near-miss event and who had lived in the study area for at least 1 year. Women were recruited using an adapted version of the WHO criteria for maternal near-miss. DATA COLLECTION: We identified 16 women and were able to conduct 10 in-depth interviews with women at their homes, 4 weeks after they were discharged. The interviews were audiorecorded and transcribed and translated word for word from Kiswahili. Thematic analysis was used to identify emerging themes. RESULTS: Three major themes evolved: (1) Being informed about the care and interaction, (2) Being engaged and encouraged and (3) Being afraid to ask questions. The study highlighted that good communication with women during the provision of care helped women feel grateful, supported and cared for. Women who were unconscious during care were often not informed later of what happened. This created some negative feelings and anxiety. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of communication, and of being informed of what happened and why. Empathetic communication with sufficient explanation on what happened and why created trust among women-a positive finding which should encourage the development of consistent approaches to strengthen healthcare provider communication skills.

Humanizing birth in Tanzania: a qualitative study on the (mis) treatment of women during childbirth from the perspective of mothers and fathers.

BACKGROUND: While there has been a trend for greater number of women to deliver at health facilities across Tanzania, mothers and their family members continue to face mistreatment with respectful maternity care during childbirth being violated. The objective of this study was to describe the experience of mothers and fathers in relation to (mis) treatment during childbirth in Tanzania. METHODS: Using a qualitative descriptive design, 12 semi-structured interviews and four focus group discussions were held with mothers and fathers who were attending a postnatal clinic in the Lake Zone region of Tanzania. Mothers' age ranged from 20 to 45 years whereas fathers' age ranged from 25 to 60 years. Data were analyzed using a priori coding based on Bohren's et al. typology of the mistreatment of women during childbirth. RESULTS: Mothers reported facing mistreatment and disrespectful maternity care through verbal abuse (harsh or rude language and judgmental or accusatory comments), failure to meet professional standards of care (refused pain relief, unconsented surgical operations, neglect, abandonment or long delays, and skilled attendant absent at time of delivery), poor rapport between women and providers (poor communication, lack of supportive care, denied husbands presence at birth, denied mobility, denied safe traditional practices, no respect for their preferred birth positions), and health system conditions and constraints (poor physical condition of facilities, supply constraints, bribery and extortion, unclear fee structures). Despite some poor care, some mothers also reported positive birthing experiences and respectful maternity care by having a skilled attendant assistance at delivery, having good communication from nurses, receiving supportive care from nurses and privacy during delivery. CONCLUSION: Despite the increasing number of deliveries occurring in the hospital, there continue to be challenges in providing respectful maternity care. Humanizing birth care in Tanzania continues to have a long way to go, however, there is evidence that changes are occurring as mothers notice and report positive changes in delivery care practices.

Providing postpartum care with limited resources: Experiences of nurse-midwives and obstetricians in urban Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Tanzania has high maternal and neonatal mortality rates. Comprehensive guidelines for postpartum care have been developed by the government as a means to improve health outcomes during the perinatal period. Despite the creation of these guidelines and the government's commitment to universal perinatal care for women and neonates, there is concern that the delivery of postpartum services may not be meeting the needs of mothers and neonates. AIM: The purpose of this feminist poststructuralist study was to explore nurse-midwives' and obstetricians' experiences of providing postpartum care in Tanzania. METHODS: This qualitative study used feminist poststructuralism to explore the personal, social, and institutional discourses of postpartum care. We individually interviewed ten nurse-midwives and three obstetricians in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Feminist poststructuralist discourse analysis was used to analyze the transcribed interviews after their translation from Kiswahili to English. FINDINGS: Four main themes were identified. In this paper, we present the main theme of availability of resources, and its four corresponding subthemes; (1) space, (2) equipment, (3) staffing, and (4) government responsibility. DISCUSSION: The findings from our study illustrate the need for health workforce planning to be addressed in a comprehensive manner that accounts for context, required resources and systemic challenges. These findings are consistent with findings from other studies. CONCLUSION: Understanding the resource challenges that nurse-midwives and obstetricians are facing in one low-and-middle-income-country will assist researchers, decision makers, and politicians as they address issues of mortality, morbidity, and disrespectful maternity care.

Childbirth experiences and their derived meaning: a qualitative study among postnatal mothers in Mbale regional referral hospital, Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Evidence shows that negative childbirth experiences may lead to undesirable effects including failure to breastfeed, reduced love for the baby, emotional upsets, post-traumatic disorders and depression among mothers. Understanding childbirth experiences and their meaning could be important in planning individualized care for mothers. The purpose of this study was to explore childbirth experiences and their meaning among postnatal mothers. METHODS: A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital among 25 postnatal mothers within two months after birth using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions and data was thematically analyzed. RESULTS: The severity, duration and patterns of labour pains were a major concern by almost all women. Women had divergent feelings of yes and no need of biomedical pain relief administration during childbirth. Mothers were socially orientated to regard labour pains as a normal phenomenon regardless of their nature. The health providers' attitudes, care and support gave positive and negative birth experiences. The Physical and psychosocial support provided comfort, consolation and encouragement to the mothers while inappropriate care, poor communication and compromised privacy contributed to the mothers' negative childbirth experiences. The type of birth affected the interpretations of the birth experiences. Women who gave birth vaginally, thought they were strong and brave, determined and self-confident; and were respected by members of their communities. On the contrary, the women who gave birth by operation were culturally considered bewitched, weak and failures. CONCLUSION: Childbirth experiences were unique; elicited unique feelings, responses and challenges to individual mothers. The findings may be useful in designing interventions that focus on individualized care to meet individual needs and expectations of mothers during childbirth.

Barriers and facilitators to humanizing birth care in Tanzania: findings from semi-structured interviews with midwives and obstetricians.

BACKGROUND: In Tanzania, the provision of humanized care is increasingly being emphasized in midwifery practice, yet studies regarding perceptions and practices of skilled health personnel towards the humanization of birth care are scare. Previous reviews have identified that abuse and disrespect is not limited to individuals but reflects systematic failures and deeply embedded provider attitudes and beliefs. Therefore, the current study aims to explore the perceptions and practices of skilled health personnel on humanizing birth care in Tanzania by identifying current barriers and facilitators. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were held with skilled health personnel including midwives (n = 6) and obstetricians (n = 2) working in the two district hospitals of Tanzania. Data were analyzed using thematic coding. RESULTS: Skilled health personnel identified systematic barriers to providing humanizing birth care. Systematic barriers included lack of space and limited facilities. Institutional norms and practices prohibited family involvement during the birth process,including beliefs that limited choice of birth position as well as disrespected beliefs, traditions, and culture. Participants also acknowledged four facilitators that improve the likelihood of humanized care during childbirth in Tanzania: ongoing education of skilled health personnel on respectful maternal care, institutional norms designed for continuous clinic support during childbirth, belief in the benefit of having family become active participants, and respecting maternal wishes when appropriate. CONCLUSION: To move forward with humanizing the birth process in Tanzania, it will be essential that systematic barriers are addressed as well as changing the mindset of personnel towards respectful maternal care. It will be essential for the government and private hospitals to revalue their labour wards to increase the space and staff allocated to each mother to enhance family-integrated care. Additionally, in-service training as well as incorporation of respectful maternal care during pre-service training is key to changing the culture in the labour ward.

When, where and who? Accessing health facility delivery care from the perspective of women and men in Tanzania: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Childbirth is a momentous event for women and their partners, yet women continue to die in childbirth worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. To reduce maternal mortality and increase the number of women delivering at health facilities, it is important to understand reasons why women who do deliver at health facilities chose to do so. Therefore, the objective of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of women and men on (i) when women go to the hospital; (ii) where women deliver; and (iii) who is involved in the delivery process related to accessing health facilities for delivery care in Tanzania. METHODS: Using a qualitative design, four focus group discussions (n = 23) and semi-structured interviewers (n = 12) were held with postnatal women and men who were attending a postnatal clinic in the Lake Zone region of Tanzania. Data was analyzed using thematic coding. RESULTS: Women and men expressed factors that influenced when, where, and with whom they accessed health facilities for delivery care, with the quality of care received providing a significant influence. When decisions were made about going to the hospital, there were challenges that resulted in delayed treatment seeking; however, couples recognized the need to seek care earlier to prevent complications. Private hospitals were the preferred location for delivery with public hospitals and home deliveries with traditional birth attendants being less desirable. Both when and where delivery took place was influenced by the desire for better quality of care received as well as financial costs. Finally, there was mixed evidence on who was involved in decision making around delivery location from the perspective of women and men, but both groups expressed a preference for more male involvement during the delivery. CONCLUSION: Men and women show desire for women to delivery at health facilities; however, improvements are needed with respect to maternal care and humanizing the birth process in Tanzania. Greater emphasis needs to be placed on including men during the birth process, improving the quality of care received in public hospitals, and reducing the barriers to accessing health facilities for delivery care.

Saving lives with caring assessments: How Tanzanian nurse-midwives and obstetricians negotiate postpartum practices.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore the nurse-midwives' and obstetricians' experiences delivering postpartum care assessments and how it was constructed through personal, social and institutional discourses. INTRODUCTION: The Tanzanian Government has prioritised maternal and child health as an urgent healthcare issue. Nurse-midwives and obstetricians are the two main providers of care throughout the prenatal and postpartum periods. DESIGN: A qualitative design guided by a feminist poststructuralist methodology. METHODS: Ten nurse-midwives and three obstetricians from three Regional Hospitals in Dar es Salaam participated in individual semi-structured in-depth interviews. RESULTS: Assessment emerged as a significant theme with three subthemes. Nurse-midwives shared their beliefs and values about assessments that focused on the safety of mothers and babies. They felt proud working with mothers and babies and shared their frustrations having to deal with inadequate working conditions. Guidelines and practices were part of the institutional discourse that impacted the day-to-day experiences of nurse-midwives and obstetricians. The nurse-midwives held the belief that it was vital to complete a comprehensive assessment to identify danger signs, keep mothers and babies safe and look for any abnormalities. They were concerned that mothers were being sent home too early. CONCLUSIONS: Nurse-midwives' experiences in the provision of postpartum care portray that these health providers work heartedly to make sure that the mothers and their newborns receive the best care they can provide. The health system is challenged to address the needed supplies and equipment for reproductive health in particular postpartum care services. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Institutional health discourses significantly affect the practice of nurse-midwives and obstetricians to deliver timely and effective postpartum assessments. Immediate and ongoing postpartum assessments conducted by nurse-midwives and obstetricians can save lives. This study presents the first theme of the study: Caring assessments save lives.

Healthcare access and quality of birth care: narratives of women living with obstetric fistula in rural Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Increasing births with skilled attendants and increasing health facilities with Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC) can reduce maternal mortality and are considered critical interventions for ensuring safe motherhood. Despite Tanzania's policy to support women to give birth with the assistance of skilled personnel, some women do not access this care. This article uses women's stories to illustrate the challenges that caused them to fail to access adequate obstetric care in a timely manner, hence causing the development of fistulas. METHODS: This paper presents the narratives of 16 women who were conveniently selected based on their experiences of not being able to access adequate obstetric care in timely manner. The analysis was guided by recommendations for the identification and interpretation of narratives, and identified important components of women's experiences, paying attention to commonalities, differences and areas of emphasis. Semi-structured interviews were carried out at CCBRT hospital in Dar es Salaam. RESULTS: Four (4) general story lines were identified from women description of their inability to access quality obstetric care in a timely manner. These were; failing to decide on a health care facility for delivery, lacking money to get to a health care facility, lacking transportation to a health care facility and lacking quality birth care at the health care facility. CONCLUSION: Women were unable to reach to the health care facilities providing comprehensive emergency obstetric care (CEmOC) in time because of their lack of decision-making power, money and transportation, and those who did reach the facilities received low quality birth care. Empowering women socially and financially, upgrading primary health care facilities to provide CEmOC and increased numbers of skilled personnel would promote health care facility deliveries.

Perceived needs and level of satisfaction with care by family members of critically ill patients at Muhimbili National hospital intensive care units, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Earlier studies in developed and a few developing countries have documented experiences of family members with critically-ill patients. However, in Tanzania no documented studies could be found in this study area. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the Tanzanian family members' perceived needs and level of satisfaction with care of their critically-ill patients, in the intensive care units in the Muhimbili National Hospital. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken, using a quantitative approach. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The sample size was 110 respondents, comprised of individuals who visited critically-ill patients in the intensive care unit. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 14. RESULTS: The study revealed that 72 % of the family members perceived having a specific person to call at the hospital when a related family member was not available at the hospital as a very important need. Only 23 % of the respondents perceived the need of talking about the possibility of their patients' death as very important. The nurses' provision of care to the patients of the family members was found to be satisfactory. CONCLUSION: The perceived needs and level of satisfaction of family members of critically-ill patients calls for nurses to improve the quality of care to patients' family members, which in return will enhance the patient's recovery.

Living with constant leaking of urine and odour: thematic analysis of socio-cultural experiences of women affected by obstetric fistula in rural Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Obstetric fistula is a worldwide problem that affects women and girls mostly in Sub Saharan Africa. It is a devastating medical condition consisting of an abnormal opening between the vagina and the bladder or rectum, resulting from unrelieved obstructed labour. Obstetric fistula has devastating social, economic and psychological effect on the health and wellbeing of the women living with it. This study aimed at exploring social-cultural experiences of women living with obstetric fistula in rural Tanzania. METHODS: Women living with obstetric fistula were identified from the fistula ward at CCBRT hospital. Sixteen individual semi structured interviews and two (2) focus group discussions were conducted among consenting women. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and transcripts analysed independently by two researchers using a thematic analysis approach. Themes related to the experiences of living with obstetric fistula were identified. RESULTS: Four themes illustrating the socio-cultural experiences of women living with obstetric fistula emerged from the analysis of women experiences of living with incontinence and odour. These were keeping clean and neat, earning an income, maintaining marriage, and keeping association. Women experiences of living with fistula were largely influenced by perceptions of people around them basing on their cultural understanding of a woman. CONCLUSION: Living with fistula reveals women's day-to-day experiences of social discrimination and loss of control due to incontinence and odour. They cannot work and contribute to the family income, cannot satisfy their husband's sexual needs and or bear children, and cannot interact with members of the community in social activities. Women experience of living with fistula was influenced by perceptions of people around them. In the eyes of these people, women who leak urine were of less value since they were not capable of carrying out ascribed social roles.

Perceived Health System Causes of Obstetric Fistula from Accounts of Affected Women in Rural Tanzania: A Qualitative Study.

Obstetric fistula is still a major problem in low income countries. While its main cause is untreated obstructed labour, misconceptions about it still persist. This study aimed at exploring and describing perceived health system causes of obstetric fistula from women affected by it in rural Tanzania. This exploratory qualitative study included twenty-eight women affected by obstetric fistula. Semi structured interviews and focus group discussions were held and thematic analysis used to analyse perceived health system causes of obstetric fistula from women's account. Perceived health system causes of obstetric fistula fundamentally reflected the poor quality of obstetric care women received at health care facilities relating to staff unaccountability, late referral, and torture by nurses. The women's perception emphasizes the importance of improving the quality of obstetric care provided by health care providers in health care facilities.

Why give birth in health facility? Users' and providers' accounts of poor quality of birth care in Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: In Tanzania, half of all pregnant women access a health facility for delivery. The proportion receiving skilled care at birth is even lower. In order to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, the government has set out to increase health facility deliveries by skilled care. The aim of this study was to describe the weaknesses in the provision of acceptable and adequate quality care through the accounts of women who have suffered obstetric fistula, nurse-midwives at both BEmOC and CEmOC health facilities and local community members. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews involving 16 women affected by obstetric fistula and five nurse-midwives at maternity wards at both BEmOC and CEmOC health facilities, and Focus Group Discussions with husbands and community members were conducted between October 2008 and February 2010 at Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania and Temeke hospitals in Dar es Salaam, and Mpwapwa district in Dodoma region. RESULTS: Health care users and health providers experienced poor quality caring and working environments in the health facilities. Women in labour lacked support, experienced neglect, as well as physical and verbal abuse. Nurse-midwives lacked supportive supervision, supplies and also seemed to lack motivation. CONCLUSIONS: There was a consensus among women who have suffered serious birth injuries and nurse midwives staffing both BEmOC and CEmOC maternity wards that the quality of care offered to women in birth was inadequate. While the birth accounts of women pointed to failure of care, the nurses described a situation of disempowerment. The bad birth care experiences of women undermine the reputation of the health care system, lower community expectations of facility birth, and sustain high rates of home deliveries. The only way to increase the rate of skilled attendance at birth in the current Tanzanian context is to make facility birth a safer alternative than home birth. The findings from this study indicate that there is a long way to go.

"I am nothing": experiences of loss among women suffering from severe birth injuries in Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Despite the increased attention on maternal mortality during recent decades, which has resulted in maternal health being defined as a Millennium Development Goal (MDG), the disability and suffering from obstetric fistula remains a neglected issue in global health. Continuous leaking of urine and the physical, emotional and social suffering associated with it, has a profound impact on women's quality of life. This study seeks to explore the physical, cultural and psychological dimensions of living with obstetric fistula, and demonstrate how these experiences shape the identities of women affected by the condition. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with qualitative and quantitative components was used to explore the experiences of Tanzanian women living with obstetric fistula and those of their husbands. The study was conducted at the Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation Tanzania hospital in Dar es Salaam, Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza, and Mpwapwa district, in Dodoma region. Conveniently selected samples of 16 women were interviewed, and 151 additional women responded to a questionnaire. In addition, 12 women affected by obstetric fistula and six husbands of these affected women participated in a focus group discussions. Data were analysed using content data analysis framework and statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 15 for Microsoft windows. RESULTS: The study revealed a deep sense of loss. Loss of body control, loss of the social roles as women and wives, loss of integration in social life, and loss of dignity and self-worth were located at the core of these experiences. CONCLUSION: The women living with obstetric fistula experience a deep sense of loss that had negative impact on their identity and quality of life. Acknowledging affected women's real-life experiences is important in order to understand the occurrence and management of obstetric fistula, as well as prospects after treatment. This knowledge will help to improve women's sense of self-worth and maintain their identity as women, wives, friends and community members. Educational programmes to empower women socially and economically and counselling of families of women living with obstetric fistula may help these women receive medical and social support that is necessary.

Waiting for attention and care: birthing accounts of women in rural Tanzania who developed obstetric fistula as an outcome of labour.

BACKGROUND: Obstetric fistula is a physically and socially disabling obstetric complication that affects about 3,000 women in Tanzania every year. The fistula, an opening that forms between the vagina and the bladder and/or the rectum, is most frequently caused by unattended prolonged labour, often associated with delays in seeking and receiving appropriate and adequate birth care. Using the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of care (AAAQ) concept and the three delays model, this article provides empirical knowledge on birth care experiences of women who developed fistula after prolonged labour. METHODS: We used a mixed methods approach to explore the birthing experiences of women affected by fistula and the barriers to access adequate care during labour and delivery. Sixteen women were interviewed for the qualitative study and 151 women were included in the quantitative survey. All women were interviewed at the Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation Tanzania in Dar es Salaam and Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza. RESULTS: Women experienced delays both before and after arriving at a health facility. Decisions on where to seek care were most often taken by husbands and mothers-in-law (60%). Access to health facilities providing emergency obstetric care was inadequate and transport was a major obstacle. About 20% reported that they had walked or were carried to the health facility. More than 50% had reported to a health facility after two or more days of labour at home. After arrival at a health facility women experienced lack of supportive care, neglect, poor assessment of labour and lack of supervision. Their birth accounts suggest unskilled birth care and poor referral routines. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals major gaps in access to and provision of emergency obstetric care. It illustrates how poor quality of care at health facilities contributes to delays that lead to severe birth injuries, highlighting the need to ensure women's rights to accessible, acceptable and adequate quality services during labour and delivery.