Beyond the Partograph
Joy Ming · 2016
The partograph is a paper-based tool that helps healthcare providers monitor births to identify and prevent obstructed labour. It is especially pertinent for nurses in remote healthcare centers conducting deliveries on amidst a lack of staff and resources. While the low-cost nature of the partograph creates a potential for impact in these settings, it is ultimately not being used, and many information communication technologies (ICTs) have been developed to address barriers to compliance. The process of attempting to adapt such an ICT to remote settings uncovered larger issues---more fundamental barriers surrounding partograph usage and rural childbirth that information technology cannot solve. This paper presents initial observations and subsequent analyses of these lessons from the field, emphasizing the importance of understanding quality of care during childbirth beyond the partograph.