Maternal Mortality - Essay Example

"Maternal Mortality" is an outstanding example of a paper on maternal health. Maternal mortality is a crucial issue in modern society, which should be outdated; therefore, it is crucial to identify the cause of maternal mortality, measures to prevent it, and the difference after their application. There are a number of reasons among pregnant women causing maternal mortality since, medically, hemorrhage is the most common cause of death, from which the woman often bleeds excessively both internally and externally. This excessive loss of blood leads to the shutdown of bodily function and finally, the whole body ceases to function. In addition, obstructed labor, sepsis, and hypertensive disorders play a crucial role in causing mortality despite the fact that they are easily preventable and treatable. Complications from unsafe abortions contribute both directly and indirectly to maternal mortality due to life-threatening done on the mother in an attempt to eradicate the pregnancy.

Anemia and malnutrition are nutritional causes of maternal mortality and contribute significantly to the likelihood of a mother dying at childbirth (Center for Reproductive Rights, n.d.). This is associated with hemorrhage, septicemia eclampsia, and when severe anemia occurs, cardiac arrest is the result leading to death. The anemia factor also leaves pregnant women susceptible to other health complications and conditions. These include communicable diseases, such as malaria and tuberculosis, which in turn increase the chances of complications during birth, to both the mother and the unborn child. In addition, nutritional deficiencies lower the chances of survival for the child and recovery of the mother after birth. This creates a potential situation, in which the mother may not make it alive.

In relation to unsafe abortions, the illegal status of abortion in most parts of the world leads to leads to unsafe abortions in unqualified premises. This is in the presence of unqualified practitioners and staff, as well as unhygienic conditions. Poverty also contributes substantially as not all women can afford access to health services for prenatal care. This puts them in a position where they have to deal with traditional midwives and other mothers before them for advice on how to look after their pregnancy and the child thereafter. It also means that the only access they can afford is poor quality, and nutrition is an issue that goes hand in hand with poverty. Moreover, illiteracy contributes towards maternal mortality owing to the information that pregnant mothers should have but lack (Center for Reproductive Rights, n.d.). This is in relation to access to information on fertility and nutrition, which is crucial for maternal health. In addition, it affects knowledge on child spacing and family planning that leads to pregnancy when the mother is in bad health.

Measures to counter maternal mortality have been put in place by various bodies and organizations. These include provisions of appropriate quality services, such as emergency obstetrics care and treatment of birth and pregnancy complications (Hunt and Bueno, n.d.). In addition, women should be screened for common risk factors of maternal mortality and pregnancy and birth complications. These work towards prevention and referral of potential cases for specialized monitoring and treatment in appropriate facilities (Chapter V Maternal Health, n.d.). Educating society is also a measure of working towards the reduction of maternal mortality by having women have at least basic education from school. This has proved to reduce the number of maternal deaths substantially, a few of those with basic education die of pregnancy-related cases (Asamoah et al, 2011). The measures taken seem to be working significantly towards preserving the lives of pregnant women and mothers by ensuring good health and the flow of information to the same population. In conclusion, the factors contributing to maternal mortality can easily be identified and be addressed. This is because maternal mortality, globally, has preventable causes and the disparity following the preventive measures is substantial.

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