Knowledge, attitude, and practice of the upright birth position among nurses and midwives in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Introduction: The World Health Organisation recommends that all women in labour should give birth in the position of their choice. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the upright birth position among nurses and midwives working in the Maternity Department in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Method: This was a hospital-based, analytical, cross-sectional study design using a quantitative approach and a self-administered, structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the frequency distribution of the variables. Binary and multivariate logistic regressions were applied to determine the strength of the association between independent and dependent variables. Results: Out of 283 participants, only 38 (13.4%) had ever practised upright birth positions at least once, 33 (11.7%) had good knowledge, though 220 (78.1%) had a positive attitude toward upright birth positions. Conclusion: Supporting midwives in delivering in the upright position is necessary to increase the number of women who choose this position. Women also choose other positions when given the opportunity, and with support, midwives can adapt to these positions as well.