-
Other than the factors discussed in the lecture, what do you think are other factors affecting maternal mortality rate in the Philippines?
Another factor that has an impact on the maternal mortality ratio in the Philippines is the age of the mother. In the 2019 Philippine Health Statistics (2021), the MMR of different age groups was compared. Below is the bar chart that we made for our stats class using the data from the aforementioned statistics:
The x-axis represents the ratio while the y-axis represents the different age groups. As seen in the graph, there is an evident increase in maternal deaths when the mother gives birth at an age below 15. This ratio decreases as the age increases. However, beginning at age group 25-29, the ratio of maternal deaths begins to increase again, showing that the ratio of maternal deaths per 1000 live births is highest at the age 50 and greater.
Maternal education is also another factor that affects maternal mortality (Paredes, 2016). With the lack of accessibility of maternal education, many conceiving mothers are lacking information on prenatal and pregnancy care. As was discussed in the 1st topic, even the preconception health of the mother is crucial in that there are common deficiencies that may be encountered. With proper maternal education, mothers are able to make informed decisions toward a safe and healthy pregnancy.
-
What are the top 3 causes of maternal mortality ratio in the Philippines? Top 3 maternal morbidity?
Based on the most recent publication on the Philippine Health Statistics, the top three causes of maternal morbidity, in order, are eclampsia, pregnancy-induced hypertension with significant proteinuria, and other maternal diseases classifiable elsewhere but complicating pregnancy childbirth, and the puerperium (Department of Health, 2021). No data on the leading causes of maternal morbidity can be found in the 2019 Statistics. Based on the lecture provided, however, the top three leading causes of maternal morbidity, on the other hand, are hemorrhage, infection, and unsafe abortion.
These statistical data are crucial information in providing solutions to the maternal health problems in the Philippines.
References:
The 2019 Philippine Health Statistics. (2021, September 21). Department of Health Epidemiology Bureau. https://doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/publications/2019PHS_Final_092121.pdf
Paredes, K. (2016, November 10). Inequality in the use of maternal and child health services in the Philippines: do pro-poor health policies result in more equitable use of services?. https://equityhealthj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12939-016-0473-y