Overview and Introduction to Maternal Health Project
Maternal health is a major concern in countries around the world, and is especially concerning in Nicaragua. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 830 women die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, 99% of which occur in developing countries. The United Nations estimates that around 22,000 maternal deaths occur each year specifically in the Latin American and Caribbean region. In Nicaragua, the maternal mortality ratio has reached as high as 230 deaths per 100,000 live births, and is now at a ratio of 170 deaths per 100,000 live births.[1] Some 55% of women in rural Nicaraguan regions give birth at home without medical assistance. [2]Factors that contribute to this high rate of maternal mortality include lack of access to services, high fertility rates, domestic violence, unsafe abortions, a large young reproductive-aged population, and hypertension.[3] The most common reasons for maternal mortality from the WHO include severe bleeding, infections, eclampsia and pre-eclampsia, complications from delivery, and unsafe abortions. Maternal malnutrition is also a main topic of concern, and is correlated with increased rates of birth complications and maternal mortality.
In this project, I worked with Soyeun Yang and Angie Lee to research the topic of maternal health, and create a presentation. The areas we focused on for the project include: health infrastructure, the role of midwives, the role of community health workers, contraceptives, nutrition, sanitation and water quality, breast-feeding, birth complications, and post-partum issues. With the research we conducted, we created three informational flyers in Spanish on the topics of Maternal Nutrition, Contraceptives, and Sanitation and Water Quality.
Below are the slides from our final presentation, which we gave in class on November 10th.
Click on the slides to enlarge them!
Sources:
[1] http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S1020-49892008000800001&script=sci_arttext&tlng=es
[2] http://www.doctorsfordoctors.ca/dfdrural-nicaragua/
[3]http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S1020-49892008000800001&script=sci_arttext&tlng=es
Acosta AA, Cabezas E, Chaparro JC. Present and future of maternal mortality in Latin America. Int J Gynecol Obstet. 2000;70(1): 125–31.
Pan American Health Organization; UNICEF. Salud materna e infantil en Nicaragua: avances y desafíos 2005. MINSA, Estrategia para la implementación y seguimiento de los Cuidados Obstétricos Esenciales (COE). Managua: COE; 2004.
Guerra G. Beating women is a way of life here. JANE Magazine [magazine article on the Internet]. 2001 Feb. Available from:http://www.unfpa.org/focus/nicaragua/ms magazine.htm. Accessed 18 January 2007.
[4] http://www.coregroup.org/storage/documents/Workingpapers/MaternalNutritionDietaryGuide_AED.pdf
[5]http://www.coregroup.org/storage/documents/Workingpapers/MaternalNutritionDietaryGuide_AED.pdf