Abstract:
Although the World Health Organization defines health holistically (WHO
2016), and although a positive relationship exists between spirituality and health,
maternity care globally focuses on physical and psychological care while excluding
spiritual care. In Kenya, spiritual care in hospital settings has received little attention.
Yet, cross-culturally, childbearing and motherhood are perceived to be highly spiritual
events, but which may be traumatic especially if obstetric complications, postpartum
depression, and death occur. Spiritual care is positively associated with patients’ abil-
ity to cope with negative experiences but also with a healthy birth process with opti-
mal outcomes. Towards improving obstetric care by integrating professional clinical
pastoral care in hospital settings in Kenya, we carried out a baseline study to explore
the birthing physical, psychological and spiritual experiences of mothers of neonates
admitted at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Riley Mother and Baby Hospital
(RMBH) in Eldoret, Kenya. This article presents the results of the study.
