Childbirth practices in Benin are strongly influenced by the sociopolitical structure of the West African country.
Background
Social structure and organization
About 50 cultural groups are represented in Benin, with the most numerous being the Fon (39.2%), Adja (15.2%), Yoruba (12.3%), and Batombu/Bariba (9.2%). The population of Benin was estimated in 2022 to be around 13,750,000, with 50% of the population living in urban environments and a 4% rate of urbanization. Benin ranks 163rd out of 177 in the United Nations Human Development Index. Forty-four percent of the population is under age 15, and 42% are literate.
The practice of polygamy persists, though it has seen a significant decrease in recent time. Between 1996 and 2006, the percentage of men in polygamous marriages went from 33% to 26%, and in women it went from 50% to 42%. On average, women marry by ages 18–19, and men typically marry by age 25.
Many languages are spoken in Benin though the official language of the country is French. Fon and Yoruba are most prevalent in the south, while the north has about 6 main indigenous languages.
Political and economic system
Since independence on August 1, 1960, Benin has provided a model of democracy in West Africa. In December 1990, the constitution that determines the current electoral regime was established. The constitution ensures the human rights of the population of Benin and ensures universal suffrage. Fifteen departments were recognized in 1999 in an effort to decentralize governing bodies.
Agriculture continues to be the primary economic activity in Benin. The country exports cotton, peanuts, and palm products and focuses domestically on corn, yam, manioc, beans, millet, and sorghum. Industries such as textiles, food processing, construction materials, and cement constitute the greatest portion of the industrial sector.
Religion
Religions practiced in Benin include the following: Christian (42.8%), Muslim (24.4%), Vodoun (17.3%), and "other" (15.5%). Of the percentage that identify as Christian, 27.1% are Catholic, 5% are Celestial, 3.2% are Methodist, and 2.2% are other Protestant. In Benin, people who practice on religion such as Christianity or Islam may also have had significant influence from traditional religious beliefs, such as vodoun, and practice aspects of vodoun along with Christianity or Islam.
Physical environment
Benin is bound by the Atlantic Ocean to the south, Togo to the west, Burkina Faso and Niger to the north, and Nigeria to the east. The climate is tropical: heat and humidity persist for most of the year. The average temperature is , with temperatures peaking in March and dipping in August. July to October marks the rainy season.
Health and illness theories
Health and illness are often closely related to spiritual beliefs and practices in Benin. The practices of vodoun and traditional medicine reflect spirituality in illnesses as well as in cures. Among the Bariba in the north of Benin, folk illnesses are identified as those groups of symptoms for which science-based medicine provides neither an etiology nor a cure. Explanations of such illnesses are often spiritual in nature, deriving from the ill will of another person or an interaction with certain elements of nature. With colonialism came the advent of hospitals to treat illnesses and in which women would even give birth. Consumers of traditional medicine have expressed skepticism of hospitals because local healers are known to keep secrets well, while providers in hospital settings developed a reputation of non-adherence to patient confidentiality.
Traditionally, healers in northern Benin would not ask for money for services, but rather patrons would offer them gifts when treatments were administered. The advent of hospitals and their associated fees presented a model of health care that was previously counter-intuitive to the Bariba people.
Women's Health Statistics
The maternal mortality ratio in Benin has been estimated between 473 and 990 deaths per 100,000 live births. The most recent Demographic and Health Surveys maternal mortality estimate for Benin is 498 deaths per 100,000 live births. Infant mortality is estimated at 61.56 deaths per 1,000 live births. Life expectancy at birth is 59.84 years; for women it is estimated at 61.14 years. The fertility rate in Benin is 5.31 children per woman. HIV/AIDS incidence is 1.2%, which means about 60,000 people Benin are living with HIV/AIDS. The under-5 mortality rate decreased from 160 deaths per 1,000 in 2001 to 125 deaths per 1,000 in 2006.