BKFA Birthing Kits are a simple and effective tool for basic infection prevention and first-line childbirth care. The components are selected in line with global best practice and consist only of the essential items required to support the documented 6 principles of cleanliness at birth for mothers in high-risk and emergency settings.
The Birthing Kit is reviewed annually as part of BKFA’s commitment to better understand the social and environmental impact of the Birthing Kit.
Each kit contains 6 disposable components:
- Soap to wash the birth attendant’s hands and the mother’s perineum
- Plastic Sheet to prevent the mother and newborn coming into contact with the ground or an unhygienic surface
- Gloves to cover the birth attendant’s hands and provide protection from infections such as HIV for carers and care recipients
- Gauze to wipe clear the newborn baby’s eyes, and to clean the mother’s perineum prior to giving birth
- Cord ties to cleanly tie the umbilical cord
- Sterile blade to cut the umbilical cord and reduce risk of newborn tetanus and sepsis
WHY BIRTHING KITS?
Disposable Delivery Kits are recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as an essential tool for use by birth attendants when a delivery occurs at home, and particularly in emergency settings.
There is evidence from around the world demonstrating that these kits prevent childbirth-related infections and also act to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies by removing barriers and supporting mothers to access health services.
In many low-resource settings health facilities are not adequately equipped with clean supplies so kits can also be used to resource and improve the basic cleanliness of these environments.