In response to Making Pregnancy Safer, what are the current programs in the country to address maternal mortality and morbidity? Cite at least 1.
According to WHO, In the Western Pacific Region, every year there are 40 to 50 million pregnancies with about 30,500 to 50,000 maternal deaths. More than 40% of those deaths occur in the priority countries which includes the Philippines. Furthermore, more than 300 000 newborns die every year within the first day of birth. Hemorrhage, eclampsia, and sepsis are said to be some of the complications that contribute to high maternal and newborn mortality.
In response to the increase in maternal and newborn mortality, the WHO, in 2005, launched the new Department of Making Pregnancy Safer (MPS). This department’s primary focus is to provide accelerated support to countries with high Maternal Mortality Ratio. Its mission is to help these countries develop and implement plans and programs to provide quality maternal and newborn health care services. These services must be able to provide skilled care to all women and their babies during pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal period. The services must also ensure effective and timely skilled care for the management of complications in pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum/neonatal period.
With the Philippines being among those countries with moderate maternal and newborn mortality, the Department of Health, in collaboration with the Local Government Units, launched the “National Safe Motherhood Program”. This program focuses on the health and welfare of women throughout their pregnancy. It also includes the adolescent pregnant and meeting the unmet needs for family planning contraceptives of women into its priority agenda until 2030. The Program also aims to provide Filipino women access to quality healthcare for a safer pregnancy and delivery. Furthermore, it aims to promote the health and well-being of mothers of a Filipino family. The program includes different services which include Maternal and Newborn PhilHealth Benefit Packages; Trainings for Healthcare workers such as doctors, nurses, and midwives; and implementation support manuals for the LGUs, healthcare workers, and soon-to-be mothers.
What can you suggest in order to decrease our maternal mortality and morbidity in the country? Give at least 3 suggestions.
1. Identifying causes that prevent women from receiving or seeking care during pregnancy and childbirth
There are multiple causes seen to contribute to maternal and child mortality and morbidity. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), women in remote areas are the least likely to receive adequate health care. This is especially true for regions with low numbers of skilled health workers. These factors include poverty, distance to healthcare facilities, lack of information, inadequate and poor quality services. Even cultural beliefs and practices are considered factors. The different barriers that limit access to quality maternal health services must be identified and addressed at both health system and societal levels to drastically improve maternal and child health.
2. Access to high quality and affordable pre-natal and post-natal care
In a general sense, prenatal care includes physical exams, laboratory screening tests, nutrition counseling, and mental health services for pregnant women. Having no access to the aforementioned services may pose an increased risk of negative outcomes. According to studies conducted by WHO, women who do not receive prenatal care die at three to four times the rate of those who do.
Most maternal deaths are preventable. All women need access to high-quality care in pregnancy, during, and after childbirth. There is a close link between maternal health and newborn health and so it is mostly important that all births are attended by skilled health professionals, as timely management and treatment can make the difference between life and death for the mother as well as for the baby.
3. Conduction of community health teachings and home visits
Lack of information in terms of maternal and child health has been identified as a factor that contributes to the increase in Maternal and Newborn mortality. Lack of information can be attributed to multiple factors which are mostly socio-economic in nature – living in remote areas; no or little access to different means of communication such as internet, television, radio; no or little access to private or public transportation. Providing health teachings that are community-based and in the home setting may aid in addressing this contributing factor and may serve to bridge that gap and allow vital and pertinent information to reach the pregnant population. Some of the vital pieces of information include nutrition, the importance of prenatal care and postnatal care, available health/government programs, environmental and socio-cultural risks – to name a few.
References:
Recidoro, Z. (2018. National Safe Motherhood Program. Department of Health. https://doh.gov.ph/national-safe-motherhood-program.
United Nations. (2022). Key Reducing Child Mortality Link Between Maternal Health and Education. https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/education-key-reducing-child-mortality-link-between-maternal-health-and-education
WHO-ROWP. (n.d.). Regional Strategy. Making Pregnancy Safer. https://www.rhsupplies.org/uploads/tx_rhscpublications/WHO-WPRO_Making%20Pregnancy%20Safer_Pacific_2005.pdf.
World Health Organization. (2005). New year, new department - renewed hope. Making Pregnancy Safer. https://www.who.int/maternal_child_adolescent/documents/newsletter/mps_newsletter_issue1.pdf.
World Health Organization. (2019). Maternal mortality. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality.