Contrary to what is assumed, traditional birth attendants (TBAs) do not appear to be a clearly defined category of women with specialized knowledge and experience of assistance at deliveries in the local cultural situation at village level in the Anis region of the central highlands in Yemen. In the actual design of training for TBAs in Yemen, this results in problematic provision of basic mother and child health care, in particular safe and clean deliveries to all women at village level.