Health experts in Adamawa State have strongly discouraged pregnant women, particularly adolescents, from opting for home delivery, warning that the practice could expose mothers and their unborn children to avoidable health complications.

The experts stressed the importance of skilled birth attendance and access to healthcare facilities, where trained personnel and emergency services are available to respond to complications that may arise during labour and delivery.

The warning was issued during a one-day media engagement with journalists in Yola, organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the Adamawa State Government under the European Union Strengthening Access to Reproductive and Adolescent Health (EU-SARAH) programme, implemented in the state with the support of UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Speaking during the engagement, UNICEF Health Officer, Oluseyi Olusunde, called for stronger involvement of community leaders, parents and other community gatekeepers in promoting adolescent health and improving access to reproductive healthcare services.

Olusunde also emphasised the need to strengthen the capacity of healthcare workers to provide quality and youth-friendly services to adolescents and pregnant women.

He warned against home delivery, noting that it could become dangerous when health professionals and emergency medical services are not immediately available.

According to him, complications during childbirth can occur unexpectedly, putting the lives of both the mother and unborn child at risk if immediate medical intervention is unavailable.

He said the EU-SARAH initiative was part of ongoing efforts to promote safe delivery and improve young people’s access to appropriate reproductive and healthcare services.

Olusunde further stressed that adolescents need a safe and supportive environment where they can discuss sensitive health issues openly and receive professional guidance without fear, stigma or discrimination.

He urged stakeholders to build trust between young people and healthcare providers to encourage adolescents to seek timely medical care.

Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of the Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ADSPHCDA), Dr. Suleiman Sa’idu Bashir, said the media dialogue on maternal mortality was aimed at strengthening information dissemination on maternal and child health across the state.

Bashir commended the collaboration between the Adamawa State Government and development partners, describing it as an important platform for strengthening healthcare delivery and improving maternal and child health outcomes in the state.

He called for continued cooperation among government agencies, development partners, healthcare workers, the media, traditional institutions and communities to address factors contributing to maternal and child deaths.