An Ethnography of Birth: knowledge, Authority and Decision making in Childbirth Practices in the village of Kadam Rasulpur

The present study, ‗An Ethnography of Birth: knowledge,Authority and Decision making in Childbirth Practices in the village of Kadam Rasulpur‘ was undertaken in order to contribute towards a greater understanding of practices, authority and decision making of childbirth in the village of Kadam Rasulpur. Childbirth in Kadam Rasulpur is often interrelated with multi-dimensional factors such as household dynamics, socio-economic factors, and interpretation of reproductive illness, therapy management groups and so forth. women‘s decisions regarding place of delivery largely varies with the household economic condition, availability of male member, reproductive complication occurred during and after childbirth, nature of complication, sometimes influenced by Dais, and Shastho Sebeka. Home birth is interrelated with family‘s economic condition, husband‘s profession, and number of male members in family, Mother‘s age and reproductive complications during pregnancy. important factor associated with Hospital birth is reproductive complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and family‘s perception about the illness or disceases. In Rasulpur Child Birth is considered as Natural phenomena and expected to take place in home. However, when complication arise, which cannot be alleviated in home, People seek refuge in biomedical obstetrics or hospital birth. Roles of Shastho Shebika and Dais in decision making and consulation regarding child birth has changed significantly over time and develop a new dimension. Training programs hosted by Governtment and BRAC changes the perception of Dai and Shebikas about childbirth as well as, villagers perceptions about them. When Complication emerges; making decision depends on some important questions such as, what type of treatment they should seek. The whole procedure of decision-making is often time consuming which sometimes create lifethreatening situation for both pregnant woman and Child in Rasulpur and consequence of delaying is Fatal and some cases patient has to pay the ultimate price of life where often these deaths were unnecessary and easily avoidable.