Maternal
mortality rates are unacceptably high throughout the world. Increasing rates of obesity, diabetes, high
blood pressure and inadequate prenatal care has been linked to the increased
risk of dying from childbirth.
Every day,
approximately 800 women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and
childbirth according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Of the 800, 99 percent of the deaths occur in
developing countries.
In 2010,
287,000 women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth. The highest rates occur in women living in
rural and low income communities that have poor access to healthcare
services.
WHO
reports that in many sub-Saharan countries that maternal mortality has been cut
in half since 1990. This dramatic
improvement is primarily related to improved access to healthcare services
before, during and after childbirth.
Continued advancement, education and policy development is needed to
continue to reduce the risk factors associated with maternal deaths.
Who is at greatest risk?
A woman’s risk of developing complications increases with
the number of pregnancies that she has.
Therefore, adolescent girls under the age of 15 have the highest risk of
developing complications over a lifetime.
A woman’s lifetime risk of maternal death – the probability
that a 15 year old woman will eventually die from a maternal cause – is 1 in
3800 in developed countries, versus 1 in 150 in developing countries.
What causes the death?
Maternal mortality is a largely
avoidable cause of death. It is estimated that 80 percent of the deaths result
from complications during delivery and the immediate post-partum period. Many of these complications could have been
prevented through education and lifestyle intervention techniques.
Conditions that result from high
blood pressure, heart disease, infections, home violence and increasing rates
of HIV/AIDS can be prevented, maintained or reversed through proper
intervention.
The major
complications include the following:
- severe bleeding (mostly after childbirth)
- infections (usually after childbirth)
- high blood pressure during pregnancy
One of the major factors that fuel maternal death is
malaria. Data shows that up to 11
percent of deaths can be attributed to being bitten by an infected
mosquito. It is very common for women to
be bitten and not even know that they are infected. Low grade malaria parasite infections can
cause significant harm to the unborn child and increase the risk of
complications.
What can we do?
It is very important that all births are attended by a
skilled health professional. Prompt
management and treatment can make the difference between life and death.
Severe bleeding
after birth can kill a healthy woman within two hours if she is unattended. One
of the primary causes of excessive bleeding is high blood pressure and poor
clotting factors in the blood. Both of
these conditions can be improved, managed or reversed with improved nutritional
support.
Anemia -- the inability to clot blood can be treated the
following ways:
- A vitamin or mineral (especially iron) deficiency may lead to the most common types of anemia.
- Rich sources of iron include dark green leafy vegetables, egg yolk, organ meats (liver and kidney), nuts and sprouted beans.
- Absorption of iron improves with intake of vitamin C rich foods such as citrus fruits, greens, and peppers.
Infection
after childbirth can be eliminated if good hygiene is practiced and if early
signs of infection are recognized and treated in a timely manner. A strong immune system will help fight off
infection as well.
Sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, peaches, pumpkin and other
orange, red, yellow and dark green fruits and veggies are said to enhance many
aspects of the immune system thus reducing your risk of infection.
Dr. Cory Couillard is an international healthcare speaker and columnist for numerous newspapers, magazines, websites and publications throughout the world. He works in collaboration with the World Health Organization's goals of disease prevention and global healthcare education. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement.
Email: drcorycouillard@gmail.com
Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard
Twitter: DrCoryCouillard
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