Safe maternal and newborn care

Dr L Dipenty
Contd from previous issue
Health workers should be technically competent and sensitive to cultural practices and should treat all women, including adolescent girls, with respect.
The Government of India, the WHO and other organizations have launched several health programs to reduce maternal and perinatal deaths. The programs include
1) Safe Motherhood Initiatives
2) Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services including Child Survival and Safe Motherhood (CSSM) program, Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) program and National Rural Health Mission ( NRHM).
3) New initiatives including Janani Suraksha Yojana, Vande Mataram Scheme and training of doctors in emergency obstetric care.
The most common direct causes of maternal injury and death are excessive blood loss, infection, high blood pressure, unsafe abortion, and obstructed labour, as well as indirect causes such as anemia, malaria, and heart disease. A total of 80% of maternal deaths are preventable.
Maternal deaths have declined slowly and steadily in the past few years. The reasons include:
1) Increase in skilled attendants and hospital deliveries,
2) Country led health plans,
3) Better antenatal and intrapartum care,
4) Safe abortion,
5) Use of antibiotics and
6) Training in emergency obstetric care
Similarly various strategies to reduce perinatal deaths consist of:
1)  Prenatal nutrition,
2) Improving antenatal care,
3) Delivery by skilled birth attendants,
4) Training of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in newborn care and
5) Socioeconomic development and education.
Simply surviving pregnancy and childbirth can never be the marker of successful maternal health care. Ending the preventable maternal deaths must remain at the top of the global agenda. It is therefore, critical to expand efforts reducing maternal injury and disability to promote health and well-being.
Every pregnancy and birth is unique. Addressing inequalities that affect health outcomes, especially sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender, is fundamental to ensuring all women have access to respectful and high-quality maternity care.

The writer is MS (Obstetrics & Gynaecology), Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Shija Hospitals
OPD Timing:
8 am to 11 am (Shija Hospitals) & 11:30 am to 1:30 pm (Tues, Thurs & Fri – Shija Urban OPD, Keishampat)