1. In response to Making Pregnancy Safer, what are the current programs in the country to address maternal mortality and morbidity? Cite at least 1.
One of the current programs in the country that addresses maternal mortality and morbidity by aiming to provide pregnancy and delivery health care services with full accessibility to Filipino women is the National Safe Motherhood Program (DOH, 2018). In this way, going through gestation, labor, and childbirth would be safer for both the mother and the baby. The program’s main points of action are to (a) collaborate with LGUs as partners in providing cost-effective, quality, and sustainable maternal and newborn health services to disadvantaged women through accessible, nearby health facilities and (b) establish support systems for delivery of aforementioned health services in a quality manner.
The components of the program also involve the local delivery of the maternal-newborn service package and the country’s capacity to sustain said services. Each component has specific guidelines and action points to ensure their implementation in the local and national settings.
This program essentially targets the maternal mortality and morbidity problem of the country as the expected year for its objectives and vision to be fulfilled is until 2030 (DOH, n.d.). It is the same year in which the SDGs have set the deadline for achieving reduced MMR that is below 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births which has also become one of the Philippines’ national health goals. Furthermore, addressing contributing factors to MMR such as teen pregnancies and lack of contraceptive use or family planning—both of which lead to unwanted pregnancies and therefore, increased likelihood of unsafe abortions—are also part of the program’s priority agenda.
With consistent proper implementation of the program and with the help of health care providers, such as nurses, in providing prenatal care and sexual and reproductive health education to Filipino women, there is hope that the program’s vision will be attained by 2030: “…the National Safe Motherhood Program envisions a healthy Filipino family where the mother is healthy as the other members of her family.”
2. What can you suggest in order to decrease our maternal mortality and morbidity in the country? Give at least 3 suggestions.
- Consistent provision of cost-efficient and accessible maternal and prenatal care services for pregnant women. The National Safe Motherhood Program has already kickstarted this means to decrease maternal mortality and morbidity. However, there is an emphasis on consistency as diversion of health services and resources occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in little to no access to maternal and prenatal care services (UNFPA, 2020). Moreover, rural and isolated areas or poverty communities should be intentionally reached out by LGUs and local health care workers and providers. This is due to issues of faraway health care centers and facilities and insufficient income to accommodate payment for the ideal number of prenatal check-ups. Allocating sufficient government funds on free health care services for reproductive-aged and pregnant women, including those with adolescent pregnancies, must be done as well.
- Training traditional birth attendants or hilots and present family members. According to the lecture and Rau (2015), one of the contributing factors to maternal mortality and morbidity is the provision of delivery care by traditional birth attendants or hilots or sometimes family members who do not have formal training. Because they have no formal training, they would lack experience, knowledge, and skill to address and manage complications that may suddenly occur during childbirth (e.g. hypertension complications). Due to the documented low percentage of childbirths assisted by skilled health care professionals (e.g., nurses, doctors, or midwives), available traditional birth attendants or even family members (especially in rural places) should be given at least basic training in proper and hygienic labor and delivery care. Teaching them possible first aid when certain manageable complications occur would also be ideal. Should certain adverse outcomes occur that are out of their scope, they should be taught to contact emergency hotlines.
- Providing health education on pregnancy, family planning, and contraceptive use to women, mothers, and families. This would include informing disadvantaged Filipino women, mothers, and families of existing maternal and newborn health care programs that may assist or meet their pregnancy care needs. Health education on the critical development periods of the fetus during pregnancy, the necessary diet and lifestyle changes and improvements, avoidance of toxicant exposures, intake of appropriate supplements, and correcting pregnancy myths should be emphasized. Family planning and the use of contraceptives should be advocated as well to significantly reduce unwanted and unplanned pregnancies that may result in unsafe abortions.
References:
Department of Health [DOH]. (2018, October 17). National Safe Motherhood Program. https://doh.gov.ph/national-safe-motherhood-program
DOH. (n.d.). Safe Motherhood Program. https://doh.gov.ph/health-programs/safe-motherhood-program#
Rau, A. (2015, June 18). Maternal Mortality in the Philippines. https://borgenproject.org/maternal-mortality-philippines/
United Nations Population Fund [UNFPA]. (2020, August 17). Significant rise in maternal deaths and unintended pregnancies feared because of COVID-19, UNFPA and UPPI study shows. https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/significant-rise-maternal-deaths-and-unintended-pregnancies-feared-because-covid