The causes of pregnant women dying during childbirth is a topic of great importance in maternal health, especially in developing countries where health services can be a challenge. Deaths of women during childbirth can be the result of many reasons, many of which can be avoided if precautionary and health measures are taken early. In this article, we will look in detail at the causes of pregnant women dying during childbirth, as well as ways to avoid such deaths in order to improve reproductive health for women.
Causes of Pregnancy Dying During Childbirth
1. Anemia and Lack of Sufficient Blood
Causes of death during childbirth can be related to anemia, a condition that affects many women, especially during pregnancy. Anemia results from a deficiency of iron or other important nutrients in the pregnant body. This anemia increases the risk of complications during childbirth, as the pregnant mother can lose a lot of blood during childbirth, which can lead to death if the blood is not restored quickly.
How to Avoid Anemia:
a. Good Nutrition: Make sure the expectant mother eats food rich in iron, such as red meat, eggs, green leafy vegetables, and fruits like bananas and mangoes.
b. Iron Tablets: If diet alone is not enough, the expectant mother can use iron tablets under the doctor's advice to increase the blood level in the body.
c. Health Monitoring: Attend the clinic regularly to monitor the health status and ensure that anemia is treated early before delivery.
2. High Blood Pressure (Pre-eclampsia and Eclampsia)
Maternal death during childbirth can be a result of high blood pressure, a condition known as pre-eclampsia, which can develop into eclampsia if left untreated. High blood pressure can cause serious problems such as stroke, kidney failure, and even death for both mother and child. Eclampsia is an emergency condition involving high blood pressure and seizures, and is one of the leading causes of death during childbirth.
How to Avoid High Blood Pressure:
a. Regular Clinic Services: Attend clinics regularly to monitor blood pressure and detect early signs of pre-eclampsia.
b. Healthy Diet and Exercise: Regular exercise and eating a healthy, low-salt diet can help control blood pressure.
c. Blood Pressure Medications: If your doctor detects that you have high blood pressure, he or she will be able to prescribe medications to control the blood pressure and reduce the risk of complications.
3. Unsafe Abortion
Unsafe abortion is one of the leading causes of death during childbirth in many societies. Unsafe abortions are often performed by people with insufficient knowledge or in unsafe conditions, and can lead to serious infection, heavy bleeding, and ultimately death. Although abortion is not part of childbirth, its effects can be felt during the delivery of the next pregnancy.
How to Avoid Complications Due to Abortion:
a. Reproductive Health Education: Women should be given reproductive health education to understand the risks of unsafe abortion and safe methods of family planning.
b. Safe Abortion Services: In countries where abortion is legal, it is important to ensure that such services are available and performed by qualified health professionals in a safe environment.
c. Clinical Services and Counseling: Women who wish to have an abortion should receive professional counseling and clinical services that ensure their safety and reduce future risks.
4. Infections
Infections can be the main reason for a pregnant mother to die during childbirth. These infections can occur before, during, or after delivery. Bacterial infections such as Streptococcus Group B, which can be found in the reproductive tract, can cause serious problems for both mother and child. Also, unsanitary environment and unsanitary equipment used during delivery can cause infection.
How to Avoid Infection:
a. Personal Hygiene: The expectant mother should maintain personal hygiene and the environment she lives in to reduce the risk of infection.
b. Vaccination: Make sure you get all the necessary vaccinations during pregnancy, such as the tetanus vaccine, which can help prevent infection.
c. Clean Clinic Services: Make sure you give birth in a clean health center with professional health professionals. The use of clean and sterilized equipment is important in preventing infection.
5. Rupture of Membranes
Rupture of the bag of water before delivery is one of the causes of death during delivery. This condition can lead to infection for mother and child, which can cause serious problems. If the water bag ruptures and the mother does not receive immediate care, the risk of death increases significantly.
How to Avoid Bursting Problems:
a. Emergency Services: If the bag of water breaks before delivery, it is important to contact a health center as soon as possible for emergency services.
b. Health Monitoring: The pregnant mother should attend the clinic regularly to detect early the symptoms of such problems and get proper treatment.
c. Cleanliness of the Delivery Environment: Make sure that the delivery environment is clean and has enough equipment to provide services in case this problem occurs.
6. Obstructed Labor
Stuck in the baby is a situation where the baby gets stuck in the birth canal during delivery, a situation that can cause serious problems for the mother and the baby. This blockage can lead to uterine rupture, heavy bleeding, and ultimately death of the mother if not treated promptly.
How to Avoid Stuck Problems in Baby:
a. Regular Clinic Services: Regular follow-up at the clinic during pregnancy will help to detect early any problems that may cause the baby to be stuck.
b. Emergency C-Section: If there are signs of fetal distress, an emergency C-Section may be necessary to save the life of both mother and baby.
c. Attend a Well-Equipped Health Center: Make sure you give birth in a well-equipped health center with skilled health professionals in providing reproductive services to reduce the risks of such complications.
7. Postpartum Hemorrhage
Heavy bleeding after childbirth is one of the reasons for the death of a pregnant woman during childbirth. This condition often occurs as a result of the uterus not tightening properly after childbirth, rupture of the uterus, or injuries that occur during childbirth. Heavy bleeding is dangerous because it can lead to massive blood loss, which can be fatal if not controlled immediately.
How to Avoid Heavy Bleeding:
a. Applying Medicines to Tighten the Uterus: Health professionals can use drugs to help tighten the uterus after delivery to prevent heavy bleeding.
b. Prompt and Professional Care: If there are signs of heavy bleeding, prompt care is needed to control the situation and save the mother's life.
c. Ensuring Availability of Blood: It is important to have reserve blood in health centers for transfusion in case the mother needs it after delivery.
8. Lack of Good Health Services
The lack of good health services, especially in rural areas and developing countries, is one of the reasons that pregnant women die during childbirth. Many women give birth without professional help, in unsafe environments, or in health centers that do not have enough equipment or professionals.
How to Avoid Health Care Risks:
a. Improvement of Health Services: The government and health stakeholders should invest in improving health facilities, training health professionals, and ensuring access to modern equipment.
b. Community Education: Women should be educated about the importance of giving birth in health centers with good services and health professionals.
c. Emergency Health Services: The establishment of emergency health services for pregnant women, such as ambulances, is important in reducing maternal mortality.
Conclusion
The causes of pregnant women dying during childbirth can be solved by taking early measures and ensuring access to quality health services for pregnant women. By understanding the causes of death during childbirth, communities, governments, and health care providers can take appropriate steps to ensure that women give birth safely. It is important for every pregnant woman to get the best health services, monitor their health status regularly, and be aware of the risks that may arise during pregnancy and childbirth. By doing so, we can significantly reduce the number of women dying during childbirth and improve maternal health in general.