Medical professionals have called on expectant fathers across Nigeria to prioritise financial preparedness ahead of their wives’ delivery, warning that failure to do so significantly increases the risk of avoidable maternal deaths. The advice follows a series of reports highlighting how a lack of financial readiness has led to complications—and in some tragic cases, fatalities—during childbirth.
Speaking with KIIN360, prominent gynaecologists and maternal health experts stressed that delivery is a process laden with unpredictability, with emergencies such as caesarean sections, excessive bleeding, or hypertensive crises capable of arising without warning. These situations, they noted, often require urgent and expensive medical interventions.
Professor Ernest Orji, a seasoned obstetrician and gynaecologist with over four decades of experience at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, described the failure of many Nigerian men to adequately plan for delivery costs as a significant contributor to the country’s high maternal mortality rate. He stated that while many men can afford the costs, they often do not see the need to prioritise them over other expenses like celebrations or leisure.
“Childbirth is not a time for guesswork or assumptions,” Prof. Orji said. “A normal delivery in a public hospital might cost between N80,000 and N100,000, but that is only under ideal circumstances. A sudden need for a caesarean section can raise the bill to N400,000 or more. Unfortunately, many families only prepare for the basic cost, not for emergencies.”
Recent heartbreaking stories have surfaced, including that of Akinbobola Folajimi, who in early April shared the ordeal of losing his pregnant wife, Kemi, after a private hospital in Lagos allegedly refused to treat her due to a lack of upfront payment. In a widely circulated video, Folajimi could be seen pleading with his wife to stay conscious while trying to rush her to another hospital. Sadly, Kemi passed away before she could receive the necessary care at a government facility in Epe.
Such incidents, according to maternal health experts, are not isolated. Rather, they are the consequence of a widespread neglect among men to properly prepare for delivery-related emergencies. Prof. Orji lamented that many expectant fathers neither accompany their wives to antenatal visits nor make adequate financial arrangements to ensure timely medical intervention when labour begins.
“Men need to understand that anything can happen during childbirth. Even if you plan for a normal vaginal delivery, situations can quickly escalate. Without financial readiness, families often face delays in receiving treatment, and that delay can be fatal,” he added.
He further recommended that expectant fathers ensure that transportation to healthcare centres is readily available, especially for those living far from hospitals. They should also stock up on essential medical supplies and drugs ahead of time and set aside a contingency fund for emergency care.
Professor Kayode Ajenifuja, a gynae-oncologist also based at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), supported this call for proactive planning. He warned that even the smoothest-looking pregnancies could take a dangerous turn in minutes. According to him, complications such as foetal distress, prolonged labour, or retained placenta might necessitate immediate surgical action—services that come at a cost.
“You can only say it’s a normal delivery in hindsight,” Prof. Ajenifuja said. “Until the baby and placenta are out and the mother is safe, anything can happen. That’s why families must be ready—not just emotionally but financially.”
While he commended the Federal Government’s move to make delivery services free at federal tertiary hospitals, he cautioned that families should not depend solely on such schemes. He explained that in many cases, essential drugs or diagnostic tests are not available for free, meaning out-of-pocket payments are still required during emergencies.
He highlighted the importance of early booking for antenatal care, regular check-ups, blood tests, scans, and the creation of an emergency delivery plan as critical steps that expectant couples must take. Ajenifuja also advocated for the adoption of community-based health insurance schemes to reduce out-of-pocket spending and help more families access quality maternal care.
“Pregnancy isn’t a walk in the park. It spans several months, and each stage requires monitoring and planning. The idea that delivery is purely spiritual has cost too many lives. It’s time for families, especially the fathers, to realise that childbirth is a serious medical event,” he stated.
Both experts agreed that proactive financial planning could be the difference between life and death. They also suggested the establishment of pooled savings schemes or insurance contributions among expectant fathers to mitigate the financial burden when emergencies arise.
As the maternal mortality rate remains a concern in Nigeria, stakeholders are calling on men to take a more active role in their wives’ maternal health journey. Beyond physical presence, they emphasised, the true responsibility lies in being prepared for the unpredictable nature of childbirth—with both knowledge and the necessary funds.
Ultimately, ensuring that no woman loses her life due to the inability to afford emergency care should be a collective goal, experts insist. And it begins with expectant fathers realising that childbirth, while natural, is not without risk—and that those risks demand financial readiness.