Maternal Health

Every single day in the year of 2017 around 810 women died due to entirely preventable causes in relation to childbirth and pregnancy. This adds up to around 295,000 women in total who died during and after their pregnancies due to preventable factors.  However, 94% of all of these types of deaths occurred in low resource countries (Kristof, 2013).

New mother in Africa feeds her baby

It is clear that in wealthier countries this is not an issue many people even consider. In other countries it is a painful reality and a fear inducing event in every way. The highest numbers of maternal deaths occur in places with entirely inadequate access to health services. The maternal mortality rate in low resource countries is 462 per 100,000 live births, while the maternal mortality rates in high income countries is 11 per 100,000 live births (Seal,2008). Poor women in remote areas are almost guaranteed to receive assistance during birth from completely unskilled and untrained help. In high income countries the mother would have guaranteed assistance from a trained midwife, nurse, or doctor. Most maternal deaths are preventable as their complications have been seen and treated for hundreds of years and have solutions that are very well known. It is critical that mothers and babies are monitored closely during and after birth and pregnancy as timely management can either make it or break it for the life of the mother and the baby.

Expectant mothers attempt to educate each other

Momentum is gathering within this issue and improvement has been made. Unfortunately, lower resource countries remain in a state of despair in regards to this issue.  Mothers in these countries need not only trained professionals to assist them but also beneficial basics like educated breastfeeding, soap and clean water alongside trusted medicines and new technology. Goals set towards the year 2030 strive to have less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births and under 5 years mortality as low as 25 per 1,000 live births (Kristof, 2013). It is clear through these goals that this issue has not been ignored, yet much more attention is needed to truly combat against it.

Works Cited:

Kristof, N. D. (2013, July 18). The free miracle food. Retrieved from http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/baby/breastfeeding/the-free-miracle-food-20130719-2q8lf.

Maternal mortality. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-   sheets/detail/maternal-mortality.

Seal, R. (2008, September 27). Why are mothers still dying in childbirth? Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/sep/28/sierraleone.internationalaidanddevelopment.

Under-five mortality. (2019, October 24). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/gho/child_health/mortality/mortality_under_five_text/en/.