Maternal
health - the choices, the pregnancy, the delivery and
the aftercare
The risk to women of becoming pregnant and having
complications that could harm them or their baby, or even
kill them is perhaps still not clear from the statistics.
The 2010 UNDP report on Millennium Development Goals notes
that 505 women die per 100,000 live births - the MDG goal
is less than 131. In 2000, WHO reported the rate at 880,
almost 1%, but gains are slow. There is a 1 in 35 lifetime
risk of death for the mother from becoming pregnant.
There
are encouraging statistics on attending ANC check-ups
(over 90%), and having a skilled birthing attendant present
(80% if urban), but if rural (40% attended) and if poor
or very poor, less than 32% attended. Our goals are therefore
to help women, and partners, be aware of choices for planning
their family, to help with a healthy pregnancy, to protect
mother and baby and then ensure safe, clean delivery in
a facility with lights, oxygen, sterile instruments and
staff with experience and the necessary training. Watch
a film of our maternity services
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| Some holding a
baby, planning the next |
Hope Clinic started to help
mothers |
Advice for the Mother |
Maternal
healthcare has faced many challenges in Uganda, not least
because the global funding to help governments and Ministry
of Health plans has been competing with HIV, malaria and
other priorities. The reality is that women will want
to have children and in most cases a person will be with
them at the time of delivery. Our role is to help that
birth attendant, or the pregnant woman, her parents and
partner to help the woman access ANC checks, consider
HIV
screening for herself and to be aware of the risks
to her and the baby of not delivering at a well-equipped
health facility. Planning the birth is almost more important
that the actual day of delivery.
The
WHO Report for 2006 shows Kampala (per 1,000 births) having
21 stillborn and 14 neonatal deaths. For the mother, 64%
are anaemic and 11% of babies are underweight. These mean
that care at the time of birth and sterile neo-natal care
and post-partum care are lifesavers. Nationwide, the MDG
2010 report shows 76 deaths per 1,000 in 2007. We
need support to reach more birth attendants,
to reduce the cost to the client of an attended delivery
in a health facility or to transfer a mother who we meet
for the first time, with complications at 2am in the morning.
