INTRODUCTION:

Every minute of every day, somewhere in the world and most often in a developing country, a woman dies from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth. That is as estimated 515,000 women are dying every year. Nearly all maternal deaths (99 percent) occur in the developing world making maternal mortality the health statistic. with the largest disparity between developed and developing countries. For every woman who dies, 30 to 50 women suffer injury, infections, or disease that were not adequately treated before or during pregnancy, is often a factor contributing to newborn deaths or to babies born too early and/or with low birth weight, which can cause future complications. Pregnancy-related complications are among the leading causes of death and disability for women age 15-49 in developing countries. New Born babies are also under going this terrible fate, anencephalic babies that suffer from this die days or it not weeks after birth.²

Received on 14.04.2017 Modified on 02.05.2017

Int. J. Nur. Edu. and Research. 2017; 5(4): 451-453.

DOI: 10.5958/2454-2660.2017.00097.7

Every pregnant woman hopes for a healthy baby and an uncomplicated pregnancy .When a mother dies, children lose their primary caregiver, communities are denied her paid and unpaid labour, and countries forego her contributions to economic and social development. A woman's death is more than a personal tragedy- it represents an enormous cost to her nation, her community, and her family. Any social and economic investment that has been made in her life is lost. Her family loses her love, her nurturing, and her productivity inside and outside the home².

The risks of childbearing for the mother and her baby can be greatly reduced if:

· Girls who are educated and healthy and who have a nutritious diet throughout their childhood and teenage years .

· Girls go through pregnancy and childbirth safely if childbearing begins after they are 18 years old.

· She has regular maternity care by a trained health worker at least four times during every pregnancy. The birth is assisted by a skilled birth attendant, such as a doctor, nurse or midwife; she and her baby have access to specialized care if there are complications. She and her baby are checked regularly during the 24 hours after childbirth, in the first week, and again six weeks after giving birth.

· A healthy mother, a safe birth, essential newborn care and attention, a loving family and a clean home environment contribute greatly to newborn health and survival.

· If the women are free from Smoking, alcohol, drugs, poisons and pollutants.

· Violence against women is a serious public health problem in most communities. When a woman is pregnant, violence is very dangerous to both the woman and her pregnancy. It increases the risk of miscarriage, premature labour and having a low-birth weight baby.

· In the workplace, pregnant women and mothers should be protected from discrimination and exposure to health risks and granted time to breastfeed or express breast milk. They should be entitled to maternity leave, employment protection, medical benefits and, where applicable, cash support³.

Every woman has the right to quality health care, especially a pregnant woman or a new mother. Health workers should be technically competent and sensitive to cultural practices and should treat all women, including adolescent girls, with respect³.

Challenges for Safe Motherhood:

A key constraint limiting progress is the gap between what is needed and what exists in terms of skills and geographical availability of human resources at local, national and international levels. Other challenges are how to address deteriorating infrastructures; how to maintain stocks of drugs, supplies and equipment in the face of increased demand; lack of transport; ineffective referral to and inadequate availability of 24hour quality services particularly emergency obstetric care services and weak management systems. We need to challenge our policy-makers and programme managers to refocus programme content and to shift focus from development of new technologies towards development of viable organizational strategies that ensure a continuum of care and account for every birth and death⁴.

The pillars of Safe Motherhood are listed as:

· Family planning

· Antenatal care

· Obstetric care - clean and safe delivery

· Prenatal care

· Postnatal care

· Control of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infections.⁵

The pillars of Safe Motherhood are built on the strong foundations of:

· Communication and education of women for behavior change.

· Primary health care for women and newborn.

· Equality for women.⁵

On March 5, 2015 Health Ministry of India had celebrated International Women's Day as 'Safe Motherhood Day': The Union health and Family Welfare Minister Shri J P Nadda had Three-day long nation-wide initiative to improve women's health in Delhi. Shri J P Nadda stated Under the initiative, special health check-up camps was held at the District Hospitals, Sub-district Hospitals (SDHs) and Community Health Centers (CHCs) for three days, March 2015 as free for all.

The CHCs/SDHs/District Hospitals will screen and carry out necessary investigation, as needed, of all the women who visit during the three days and treatment, if required, shall be provided free of cost. All women aged 40-60 years will be screened for breast cancer and between 30-60 years for cervical cancer, the Minister said. The Minister further stated that antenatal and postnatal care services will also be provided and Mother and Child Protection (MCP) cards will be issued to the women. Identified high risk pregnant women will be flagged on the MCP cards. If needed, such cases will be referred to higher level health facilities. Family Planning services will also be offered free of cost at the camps. The women will be counseled on birth preparedness, danger signs during pregnancy, nutrition, institutional delivery and Post-Partum Family Planning (PPFP), care during pregnancy and postnatal care, breastfeeding and complementary feeding, importance of nutrition including iron-folic acid consumption and calcium supplementation, importance of institutional delivery, identification of referral transport, entitlements under Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK). In addition, one ASHA will be felicitated in each Block in the States for her contribution to women`s empowerment and community health care.⁶

The maternal health field has made considerable progress over the last 30 years, but more work is needed. The global maternal mortality ratio decreased by 44% between 1990 and 2015, but roughly 300,000 women around the world still die every year from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Ending preventable maternal deaths is possible with continued investment in maternal health research, programs and policy at the global, national and local levels⁵.

Maternal Deaths can be Prevented in the Following Ways:

· Ensuring delivery by qualified and skilled birth attendant.

· Reducing anemia among women during adolescence and child-bearing age.

· Educating women on nutrition during pregnancy.

· To inform women about family planning and safe methods.

· Improving antenatal care.

· Education on the importance of breastfeeding.

· Providing postnatal care for mothers for pain and infections, excessive bleeding and postnatal nutrition.

· Preventing child marriage.

· Improving education for the girl child.

· Providing immunization and other disease prevention methods.

· Early detection and management of complications of birth.⁵

With the alliance of the NGOs under WRAI and in collaboration with worldwide organizations like WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA, India has been successful in lowering the maternal mortality rates. The rate of decline in maternal deaths in India is comparatively much better than the global rate of decline, thanks to the efforts of the organizations⁶.

CONCLUSION:

A healthy mother gives a safe birth which is essential for newborn care and attention, with loving family and a clean home environment contribute greatly to newborn health and survival. Every woman has the right to quality health care, especially a pregnant woman or a new mother.

REFERENCES:

1. Medindia /health watch . National Safe Motherhood Day 2016. [Internet][cited April 9, 2016]; available from: http:// www.medindia. net/news/healthwatch/national-safe-motherhood-day-2016-159131-1.htm.

2. The independent. safe motherhood. [Internet] [cited August, 2016]; available from: http://www.theindependentbd.com/ home/printnews/ 56930 .

3. Fact for life. Safe motherhood and newborn health .[internet][cited 2015 July 3]; available from: http://www.factsforlifeglobal. org/02/

4. WHO/The Safe Motherhood Initiative and beyond. [Internet][cited 2015 july4]; available from: http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/ 85/10/07-045963/en/

5. Medindia/HealthWatch. National Safe Motherhood Day 2016. [Internet][cited2016 April 9]; available from: http://www. medindia.net/news/healthwatch/national-safe-motherhood-day-2016-159131-1.htm .

6. Business standard / Government of India Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. [Internet][cited2015july2];available from: http: //www. business-standard.com/article/government-press-release/ health-ministry-to-celebrate-international-women-s-day-as-safe-motherhood-115030500641_1.html.

Received on 07.03.2017 Modified on 26.07.2017

Int. J. Nur. Edu. and Research. 2017; 5(4): 448-450.

DOI: 10.5958/2454-2660.2017.00096.5