1. Other than the factors discussed in the lecture, what do you think are other factors affecting maternal mortality rate in the Philippines?
- Aside from the direct medical reasons of maternal mortality mentioned in the lecture, socioeconomic and cultural determinants also have an influence on women's health and access to maternal health care. One of them is socioeconomic status, which raises the risk of unfavorable pregnancy outcomes because women in lower socioeconomic strata tend to have insufficient or lack of access to services and quality care. Maternal education is another factor that influences maternal mortality. Maternal education equips women with the knowledge, skills, and emotional support they need to care for themselves and their children throughout the course of their pregnancy. Consequently, lower levels of maternal education or a lack of chances for maternal education lead to greater maternal death rates. Furthermore, early marriage is one traditional practice that has an impact on maternal health outcomes (POLICY Project, n.d.). In developing nations, many women marry before they reach the age of 20. Pregnancy among teenage girls, whose bodies are still developing, puts them and their child at risk for health problems.
Maternal mortality and morbidity have far-reaching implications that affect not just mothers but also their families and communities. Children who lose their moms are more likely to die or suffer from other issues such as malnutrition. Women's deaths during their most productive years result in a loss of resources for the whole society.
In order to reduce maternal mortality rates in the country, it is necessary to recognize and promote women's and girls' rights to live healthy lives in which they have control over the resources and choices that affect their health and safety.
2. What are the top 3 causes of maternal mortality ratio in the Philippines? Top 3 maternal morbidity?
- According to DOH (2013), the top three causes of maternal mortality are: (1) complications related to pregnancy occurring in the course of labor, delivery, and puerperium, (2) hypertension complicating pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium, and (3) postpartum hemorrhage. On the other hand, the top three causes of maternal morbidity are hemorrhage (31%), unsafe abortion (16%), and hypertension (15%) as discussed in the lecture.
References:
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DOH. (2013). Maternal Deaths By Main Cause | Department of Health website. https://doh.gov.ph/Statistics/Maternal-Deaths-By-Main-Cause
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POLICY Project. (n.d.). The Maternal and Neonatal Program Effort Index (Philippines). http://www.policyproject.com/pubs/MNPI/Philippines_MNPI.pdf