Barriers and Facilitators to Integrating Spirituality in Childbirth Among Primary Healthcare Workers in Nigeria: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.

Spirituality is deeply embedded in childbirth experiences among Nigerian women; yet, its integration into maternity care remains limited, especially at the primary health care (PHC) level. This study explored the barriers and facilitators to integrating spirituality in childbirth among PHC workers in Ogbomoso, Nigeria. An exploratory qualitative research design was used, involving semi-structured interviews with ten purposively selected female PHC workers from selected health centers. Participants were mostly aged 41-50 years, predominantly Christian, and had 11-20 years of professional experience. Thematic analysis generated six themes as barriers to integrating spirituality: safety concerns related to harmful or unsterile spiritual items; concerns about disturbance from loud prayers disrupting the ward environment; heavy workload limiting attention to non-clinical needs; lack of training on spiritual care beyond prayer; time constraints, particularly during emergencies; and personal beliefs of health workers which sometimes conflicted with patients' spiritual preferences. Facilitators to integrating spirituality generate four themes: strong rapport between patients and caregivers, a calm and organized clinical environment, allowing access to personal spiritual items like scriptures or prayer beads, and supportive management policies that enabled flexibility without compromising care. The findings suggest that while spirituality is valued, systemic, institutional, and individual-level factors influence its implementation. Integrating spiritual care into PHC will require targeted training, staffing improvements, clear policies, and culturally sensitive guidelines to ensure holistic and respectful maternal care.