Childbirth on Kiriwina, Trobriand Islands, Milne Bay Province.

This study presents the first true documentation of birthgiving among the Trobriand Islanders of Papua New Guinea. In contrast to other research projects where interviews only provide a rather imprecise and partly contradictory picture of childbirth, the information here is based upon participant observation and photographs taken of three birthing processes. The advantages and disadvantages of both the traditional and Western birthing systems are compared and analyzed. Suggestions for a Traditional Birth Attendant programme are presented with the aim of improving village deliveries in ways that are consistent with deeply ingrained aspects of culture. They are meant to initiate further discussions based on this topic and do not provide a final structure of such a Traditional Birth Attendant programme.