- Other than the factors discussed in the lecture, what do you think are other factors affecting maternal mortality rate in the Philippines?
The factors discussed in the lecture focus on the delay in performing essential actions such as delay in seeking medical care and delay in providing adequate care as one of the reasons affecting maternal mortality. Across many low and middle-income countries, maternal mortality has been associated with the mother's decision-making regarding healthcare. Delay in seeking medical care is linked to inadequate support from the family and the father of the child, especially during the final stages of pregnancy to birth.
Other factors aside from the ones discussed are frequent pregnancies, closely spaced births, poor detection and diagnosis of high-risk pregnancies, and health staff who lack competencies in handling obstetrical emergencies. For closed space pregnancies, pregnancies separated by less than 12 months pose the greatest risk as it impedes the mother to sufficiently recuperate before having another pregnancy. In supplement to that, included in the main causes are hemorrhages, sepsis, obstructed labor, hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, and complications associated with unsafe abortions (Rau, 2020).
2. What are the top 3 causes of maternal mortality ratio in the Philippines? Top 3 maternal morbidity?
According to the data published by the Department of Health in 2017, the top 3 causes of maternal mortality in the Philippines are Eclampsia, Gestational [pregnancy-induced] hypertension with significant proteinuria, and Abnormality of forces of labor, respectively. While for maternal morbidity are ischemic heart diseases, neoplasms, and cerebrovascular diseases.
References:
Maternal mortality in the Philippines. (2020, July 15). The Borgen Project. https://borgenproject.org/maternal-mortality-philippines/
The 2017 Philippine Health Statistics. (n.d.). Welcome to Department of Health website | Department of Health website. https://doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/publications/2017PHS.pdf
The Mother and the Unborn. (n.d.). https://www.mhlw.go.jp/bunya/kokusaigyomu/asean/asean/kokusai/siryou/dl/h18_philippines1.pdf