Barriers to achieving quality birth care under the Sentinel Care model in Mexico.

Objective: To explore the use of birth care in a Sentinel Unit.

Materials and methods: We interviewed eight health providers and 12 female users of health services to explore the main reasons to use birth care in a Sentinel Unit.

Results: Findings indicate that the reasons for which health providers do not attend births were fear of legal claims by users, lack of institutional support if complications arise, lack of training, not feeling confident in obstetric care, and the lack of necessary supplies. Female users mentioned the perception of a lack of trained physicians and a lack of necessary materials and medicines.

Conclusions: Despite the strengthening of the infrastructure and human resources, as well as a 24/365 model attention and the increase of health personnel in the sentinel units, there are still significant barriers in certain units to achieve compliance with coverage of quality obstetric care focused on the needs of women.