Every day, about 16 women die from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth in Latin America and the Caribbean and about 250 children die before their 28th birthday. Vaginal bleeding is one of the most frequent postpartum complications. It is estimated that, around the world, about 11% of women who give birth to a live birth suffer severe postpartum hemorrhage.
For that reason, the Pan American Health Organization has proposed to carry out the project "Zero maternal deaths from hemorrhage" in different countries: Bolivia, Haiti, Guatemala, Peru and the Dominican Republic. It is an initiative that seeks to reduce maternal deaths (with great social impact) and the most serious complications of the reproductive process, understanding that both sexual and reproductive health and maternal health are a human right.
Women living in poverty, in more remote areas, with lower levels of education, indigenous and other ethnic / racial groups and in situations of gender-based violence, are at greater risk of maternal mortality. But up to 95% of maternal mortality could be avoided with the knowledge and technology already available. So, "allowing" those deaths is, in a way, undermining people's rights.
According to PAHO, among the avoidable factors of these maternal deaths are the lack of emergency transportation, properly trained personnel, blood for transfusions, treatment below the minimum standards required in health institutions and also those factors related to Community and the patient.
Therefore, the specific actions to be followed to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity in "Zero maternal deaths from hemorrhage" they must take into account issues of a different nature: economic, political, social and legal, backed by information and evidence.
A set of actions are proposed: strengthening the response capacity of the health system; the empowerment of individuals, families and communities; public policies and legislation; implementation of the life course approach. The objective is to contribute 5% (until the end of 2015) to the reduction of maternal mortality due to hemorrhage in the countries involved and to reach zero deaths in the longer term.
we hope that the "Zero maternal deaths from hemorrhage" project is effective, we will be attentive to the results and it would be a great achievement that should be extended to other countries and disadvantaged areas where mothers continue to die from this cause. Investment is needed, great effort is needed in all the aforementioned areas, but without a doubt the end is commendable.
Official Site | PAHO
Photo | iStock
In Babies and more | Reduce maternal mortality in the world, Causes of postpartum hemorrhage
