Other than the factors discussed in the lecture, what do you think are other factors affecting maternal mortality rate in the Philippines?
- Increasing cases of adolescent pregnancy. Pregnancies in adolescent girls, whose bodies are still growing and developing, are normally not developed enough for childbirth which can thereby put both the mothers and their babies at risk for negative health consequences. Young girls under the age of 15 have a much greater chance of complications that can lead to death, especially young women from rural areas who are at risk for complications in gestation, labor, or delivery since they do not have sufficient access to proper preconception and postpartum care.
- Advanced maternal age. Similar to teenage pregnancies, health risks and maternal mortality increases for pregnant women in their late 30s, or in their 40s or 50s - generally, in the stage of middle adulthood.
- Poor socioeconomic status. Women who are part of marginalized groups or have lower socioeconomic statuses may have been unable to afford quality resources and as such, end up with low educational attainment or inadequate knowledge, poor diets, and healthcare barriers. Insufficient education about reproductive health may contribute to earlier or unplanned pregnancy. Furthermore, inadequate nutritional intake may also lead to health deficiencies and poor pregnancy outcomes, causing defects in the baby’s growth and development. Lastly, the lack of quality healthcare puts women at risk for infection or other complications that could otherwise be managed and treated by a skilled healthcare provider
- Lack of educational/counseling opportunities and thus, information about reproductive health. Inadequate knowledge regarding safe sex, family planning, preconception care, prenatal care, and safe pregnancy practices increase the incidence of unplanned pregnancies. This leads to women pursuing abortion, thereby increasing Philippine maternal mortality rate.
- Poor contraceptive use. Due to financial constraints or inaccessibility to means of contraception, alongside misconceptions, inaccurate or insufficient knowledge regarding their proper usage, the increased incidence of unwanted pregnancies may prompt women to seek unsafe abortions, thereby increasing Philippine maternal mortality rate.
- Chronic or pre-existing health conditions. Pre-existing diseases, health conditions, or comorbidities in expecting mothers such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems, anemia, and depression and anxiety may indirectly contribute to increased risk for maternal mortality.
- Disrupted access to reproductive and health services due to COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic and the havoc it has caused for the past two years have overwhelmed government units and, in addition to the diversion of general resources for women’s health to address the immediate needs of COVID-19 patients, these factors have disrupted the access of expecting mothers to reproductive and health services in the country. Moreover, there is a decline in the utilization of facilities for antenatal check-up and delivery due service disruption, transportation issues, and fear of contracting COVID-19. Since many women and their babies in gestation rely on the health services provided by communities and across the country, having their access disturbed creates a higher risk for maternal mortality.
What are the top 3 causes of maternal mortality ratio in the Philippines? Top 3 causes of maternal morbidity?
The top 3 causes of maternal mortality ratio in the Philippines with the corresponding percentages are as follows: (1) Complications related to pregnancy (38%), (2) Pregnancy-induced hypertension (35%), and (3) Postpartum hemorrhage (17%).
Meanwhile, the top 3 causes of maternal morbidity ratio in the Philippines and their respective percentages are: (1) Hemorrhage (31%), (2) Infection (19%), and (3) Unsafe abortion related to failed instrumentation and medication (16%).
References:
Baccay, K.L. (2022). Prenatal Care [Powerpoint Slides]. UP Manila Virtual Learning Environment. vle.upm.edu.ph/
Department of Health [DOH]. (2013, December 9). Maternal deaths by main cause. https://doh.gov.ph/Statistics/Maternal-Deaths-By-Main-Cause
Murray, D. (2021). “Maternal mortality rate, causes, and prevention.” Verywell Family. https://www.verywellfamily.com/maternal-mortality-rate-causes-and-prevention-4163653
Rau, A. (2015, June 18). Maternal mortality in the Philippines. https://borgenproject.org/maternal-mortality-philippines/
United Nations Population Fund (2020). 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