The Causes Of Maternal Mortality And Morbidity

Infant deaths in the neonatal period are caused by complications arising from preterm births, birth defects, maternal health conditions, complications of labor and delivery, and lack of access to appropriate care at the time of delivery. Infant deaths in the post-neonatal period are driven by sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) (including sudden infant death syndrome [SIDS]), injury, and infection (MMRW, 2013). An increasing proportion of post-neonatal infant deaths occur among infants who were born preterm but survived the neonatal period (Callaghan, 2006). On the other hand there is lesser knowledge of the incidence and etilogy of fetal mortality which according to MacDorman et al, makes fetal mortality an overlooked public health issue. Lee et al, echoed the same idea when they said infant mortality has been the main focus of public health programming while fetal deaths have gone untargeted. However, with the decrease in infant mortality rates there have been recent approaches such as perinatal period of risk analysis framework (PPOR) that highlight the need to include fetal

Maternal mortality represents more than the loss of lives for individual women, as it also reflects the larger value and prioritization of women 's health and threatens the health and survival of families, young children, and even the communities in which they live (Royston and Armstrong, 1989). Maternal mortality is unacceptably high (WHO, 2015b). Globally, approximately 830 women die every day from pregnancy- or childbirth-related complications (ibid.). The causes of maternal mortality are predominately preventable and can be classified into three fundamental causes: (1) medical - consisting of direct medical problems and pre-existent/coexistent medical problems that are aggravated by pregnancy, (2) underlying - social and legal conditions, and (3) health systems laws and policies that address availability, accessibility, and quality of reproductive health services (PHP et al, 2011).

The fifth goal is to increase maternal health in countries with a focus on reducing the maternal mortality rate by three-fourths and universal access to reproductive health both by 2015. Despite a 43% reduction in maternal deaths since 1990, there are still a large number of women who die during childbirth from preventable causes such as hemorrhaging (United Nations, 2015, p. 38).

The health of many women in Algeria which is part of Sub-Saharan Africa in 1990 were impacted by the poor health care system because they lived in poverty. Poverty caused these women to lack essential needs to live a quality life. They lacked or could not afford resources such as supplies, health care professionals, and facilities for healthcare, clean water, and waste disposal. This ultimately affected the health of women and their children. For instance, lack of clean water and waste disposal facilities can cause health abnormalities such as cholera or typhoid fever which can cause devastating deaths. This is a healthcare problem because of the lack of funding. The lack of funding prevents antibiotics from being used to prevent death, and prevents African’s from being vaccinated against typhoid fever. Another example of how poverty affects woman’s health is unintended pregnancy, which is because they are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior. It's part of the health crisis because it includes a poor health system, and a lack of education about proper nutrition and behaviors during pregnancy. Complications in these pregnancies due to poor nutrition and not visiting the doctor regularly includes increased infant mortality. Infant mortality in the slums of Nairobe is 91.3% while it is 75.9% in urban areas where there is a better developed healthcare system. The inferiority of poor Africans in

Tessema, Gizachew Assefa, et al. "Factors Determining Quality of Care in Family Planning Services in Africa: A Systematic Review of Mixed Evidence." Plos ONE, vol. 11, no. 11, 03 Nov. 2016, pp. 1-23. EBSCOhost,

That is almost thirty-five percent of all births. Along with all of the common issues, there are new ones arising. For example, in Afghanistan there has been an increase in sales of over-the-counter oxytocin which is an injectable hormone that can be used to stop postpartum bleeding and speed up labor but can be deadly if given incorrectly. Finally, after millions of deaths and little government action, the issue of maternal mortality is once and for all attracting attention. In July, at the G-8 summit of industrialized nations in Hokkaido, Japan, maternal deaths were acknowledged as an important obstacle to development for the first time. It paid off and there has been progress in multiple poor countries. For example, in Honduras maternal mortality rates dropped by about fifty percent after rural clinics were opened and thousands of midwives were trained. In the Indian states of Assam, Madhya Pradesh, and Orissa pregnant women were given financial assistance. In Sierra Leone there were even fines set if a woman didn’t give birth in a

800 women die daily from “causes related to pregnancy and childbirth”, and nearly 99% of these deaths occur in developing countries(“Mic Network”). There is a high rate of newborn fatalities as well. In addition to fatal deliveries, there are also fatal abortions. Without any sort of birth control to prevent unwanted pregnancy, women take their chances at an unsafe abortion. 10-15% of pregnancy related deaths are caused by unsafe abortions(“Globalization 101”). Birth control could make such tragic issues preventable.

The most tragic part of maternal mortality in Sierra Leone is that almost all deaths are preventable. An article from TIME magazine tells the story of a young girl's "journey from pregnancy to death." Like other girls her age, Mamma Sessay was forced into marriage at 14. It was at age 15 that she experienced her first birth, but three years later she experienced her last. At 18, she gave birth to her first child in a set of twins. When she no longer felt the contractions of her second child, she was sent by canoe/ambulance from her local clinic to the nearest hospital. After delivering the second child, Mamma began hemorrhaging and losing substantial amounts of blood at a time. The constant loss of blood and decreasing blood pressure forced nurses to bring her to the surgical ward. With only one doctor in the district, Mamma waited a half hour before she could reach him. By the time he arrived her pulse had ceased and the doctor pronounced her dead. Mamma's body was soon preserved for the rituals of burial while her family mourned for their own

This goal focuses on specific topic areas that address a wide range of conditions, health systems, and health behaviors in order to improve wellness, health, and quality of life for women. The healthcare system has to be prepared for the challenges in public health for maternal and child health program predicted for the next generation in the way that it provides services for communities, health care systems, and families. The role of public health is to find out how to solve problems related to health risks for pregnancy by identifying existing health risks in women and by preventing future health problem for women and their children. These health risks include hypertension and heart disease, diabetes, depression, tobacco use, alcohol abuse, unhealthy weight, inadequate nutrition, and genetic conditions. There are several factors that may become barriers of access for women in the healthcare system. One factor is the woman’s socioeconomic level, with the outcomes for maternal and child health becoming different for various socioeconomic levels. Poor maternal health may increase the risk of poor child health outcomes, and the socioeconomic status of the child’s parents affects their choice of healthcare options, such as receiving better quality medical care and food, as well as living in safer housing and neighborhoods. Many other factors that can also affect

While motherhood is often a positive and fulfilling experience, far too many women end up exposed to the dangers of suffering, ill-health and even death. Around the world, many women have a high risk of death during pregnancy and during motherhood if under financial pressure. According to the World Health Organization (2015), approximately 830 women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth every day. Maternity mortality has grown to become an epidemic especially in rural areas and among poorer communities. Our concluded goal, as discussed below, is to assess and improve the health of maternal women under 20 with low income statuses. This will be done under Raising Hope, a program designed to assist young, economic unstable mothers/mothers to be. It is rather sad to note that high teen birth rates acquire great importance due to the

“Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period” (sec. 5.2). Mothers play significant roles in the outcome of infants. It is important to remember that the health of a mother is significantly important, even before the woman becomes pregnant. Maintaining an adequate diet, and performing regular physical activities is essential in maintaining a healthy life. Poor health conditions lead to higher risk of chronic diseases and ultimately complicates pregnancies. Data shows that “287,000 women died due to pregnancy or childbirth-related complications in 2010” (Data, statistics and epidemiology, n.d., p. 1). It appears that the trend has decreased in 2013, compared to the results that were reported in 1990. Deaths that occurred typically occurred in low-resource settings, but were typically caused by “hemorrhage, hypertension, infections, and indirect causes, mostly due to interaction between pre-existing medical conditions and pregnancy” (Maternal mortality, n.d., para. 1). A majority of these situations could have been prevented.

In 2013, 289 000 women died during pregnancy and childbirth and it was estimated that everyday 800 women all over the world died from childbirth or childbirth-related problems (World Health Organization, 2014). Often, maternal mortality is found to occur more often in developing countries than developed countries. Maternal mortality refers women who died from the situation like during pregnancy, termination of pregnancy within 42 days, regardless of duration and place of pregnancy, from aggravation caused by the pregnancy or pregnancy management (Nwagha et al, 2010). Maternal mortality may be resulted from direct or indirect cause. Direct causes are from obstetric complications of pregnancy, labour, and puerperium, and interventions whereas indirect causes are from the worsening of current conditions by pregnancy or delivery (Givewell, 2009). This paper aims to examine the causes for maternal mortality in both developed and developing countries and will end with a proposal for government to ensure women are given reproductive health rights.

Furthermore, Sudden Infant Death is growing across the world and I believe that it will be wise and good to know which countries are affected by this sudden deaths that affects babies. According the Nation Master website research, Angolo is the country with the high rate of Sudden Infant Death. The countries followed by Angolo all the way to the tenth position are mostly African countries. When I saw the rankings I wasn't really surprised that African countries would be on t top of the list. Just think about the struggles and obstacles that most pregnant women face in their native countries in Africa. Just think about the health care services that pregnant women in other countries receive in other countries excluding countries in Africa. Since most women in African countries don’t receive proper health care, they don't really know and understand how to give birth to a healthy

According to data reported to The World Health Organization, “79% of newborn deaths are due to 3 main causes: sepsis/pneumonia (29%), birth asphyxia (27%), and complications of preterm births (23%); with sepsis being the most common cause of neonatal death” (United Republic of Tanzania Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, 2008). Newborn mortality is viewed as an indicator of the quality of care provided to the mother during the antenatal period, labor and delivery period, as well as the postnatal period.

Maternal morbidity is defined as any health condition attributed to and/or aggravated by pregnancy and childbirth that has a negative impact on the women’s wellbeing” (World Health Organization). One of the highest contributing factors to maternal morbidity is repeat cesarean deliveries. Repeat cesarean deliveries have increased heavily over the years due to a number of factors. According to Landon (2004) “A decline in vaginal birth after cesarean delivery due to risk of uterine rupture, increasing maternal age, increasing rates of labor induction, decreased use of operative vaginal delivery, and medical-legal concerns” are all contributing factors to the substantial recent increase from 27.6% to 29.1% in 2004. Over the year’s studies have been conducted to determine the many factors associated