One of the factors that affect maternal mortality rate in the Philippines that is not often talked about is teenage pregnancy. According to Plan International (n.d.), adolescent pregnancy often occurs in marginalized societies wherein adolescent girls are pressured to marry early, or when they are not given the right to decide for their own sexual well-being. Most of the time, these pregnancy are unexpected and unwanted, leading to other factors of maternal mortality such as unsafe abortion. Moreover, stillbirth and/or maternal mortality may also happen because the mother’s body is not mature enough to sustain life. It is also significant to remember that the lack of proper sex education in the country contributes vastly to this factor.
Another factor which plays a huge role in maternal mortality is the socioeconomic status of the mother and her family or the people supporting her. According to Jeong, Jang, and Park (2020), women who belong to low income families are at more risk of maternal mortality within six weeks and within one year, in addition to factors such as carrying at an old age, living in rural areas, delivery through cesarean section, and having maternal comorbidities. This is because financial difficulties lead to lesser access to healthcare and the mother’s hesitancy to seek help and care.
The top three causes of maternal mortality ratio in the Philippines are hemorrhage, which mostly occurs within 24-48 hours of delivery (Dildy III & Haeri, 2012), infection, and unsafe abortion. The third factor is a very concerning issue because abortion is not legalized in the country, leading to women going for unsafe methods or consulting to illegal abortion clinics to get rid of their offsprings. According to World Health Organization (n.d.), most common causes of maternal injury or morbidity include excessive blood loss, infection, high blood pressure, unsafe abortion, and obstructed labour, as well as indirect causes such as anemia, malaria, and heart disease.
REFERENCES
Dildy III, G.A. & Haeri, S. (2012). Maternal Mortality From Hemorrhage. Seminars of Perinatology, 36(1), 48-55. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.semperi.2011.09.010
Jeong, W., Jang, S. I., Park, E. C., & Nam, J. Y. (2020). The Effect of Socioeconomic Status on All-Cause Maternal Mortality: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(12), 4606. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124606
Plan International. (n.d.). Teenage Pregnancy. https://plan-international.org/sexual-health/teenage-pregnancy
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Maternal Health. https://www.who.int/health-topics/maternal-health#tab=tab_1