Maternal Mortality in India (Essay Sample)

Name: Professor: Course: Date: Maternal Mortality in India According to the World Health Organization, maternal mortality can be defined as the death that occurs to any woman who is expecting of within 42 days of termination of expectancy no matter the site or duration of the expectancy from any cause that can be aggravated or attributed to expectancy or its management. This kind of death is neither related to other incidents or accidents that can also cause death to a woman in the society. The main aim of this study will, therefore, be to look deeply into the causes and some steps that can be taken to reduce if not to end maternal death in India. However, we can define maternal mortality ratio (MMR) as the recorded data of women who die because of pregnancy-related problems within a given time limit per 100,000 live births that is recorded within the same time limit that maternal deaths were recorded in the society. In India specifically, between the years 2010 and 2012, the estimation values of maternal mortality ratio stood at 178 maternal deaths for each and every 100,000 number of live births recorded in the same period of time (RGI 2013). In 2010, the world recorded a total of 19 287,000 maternal deaths and the most painful fact is that 19 percent of that value occurred in India alone thus showing how the women of India are at risk of experiencing maternal deaths (WHO 2012). There have been huge losses of social welfare and human life due to the problems that are related to maternal mortality in India. Finding ways to reduce maternal mortality in India has been a great concern to both the national and international communities with World Health Organization calling for rapid intervention into the menace (GoI 2011; UN 2000; Souza et al. 2013; WHO 2012; World Bank 2012). Additionally, several studies have indicated that there is a serious concern for the equity with some studies indicating that there exist a significant intro and inter-state disparities with higher number of women who suffers from maternal mortality coming from the communities that have been abandoned and marginalized by their leaders and also the tribal population (Montgomery et al. 2014; Gupta et al. 2010; Subha Sri and Khanna 2014); Kolandaswamy et al. 2010; Banerjee et al. 2013). Studies have been conducted by both national and international bodies with an aim of getting the causes of maternal mortality and some are as discussed below. There is a clear indication that both direct and indirect factors are responsible the increase in maternal deaths in India. There is however a general difference between maternal deaths that are caused indirectly by factors like deaths that are related to pregnancy in patients with preexisting or newly developed health complications that are not related to pregnancy and maternal deaths that are caused directly by factors like delivery, complicated pregnancy or even management of both delivery and complicated pregnancy. However, nonobstetric, accidents and incidents are terms used to describe maternal deaths that are not related to pregnancy in the society. Some of the causes that the World Health Organization has identified as major causes of maternal deaths are issues like postpartum bleeding which is noted to be causing close to 15% of all maternal deaths. Studies indicate that in each and ever 100 number of maternal deaths recorded, 15 of such deaths are always as a result of excess bleeding that women undergo after postpartum. Complications that results from those women trying to carry out unsafe abortions contributes another 15% hence in each and every 100 maternal deaths that are recorded in India, 15 of them are always as a result of such unsafe abortions that are done either in the absence of a qualified doctor or done illegally. Additionally, studies indicate that hypertensive disorders of pregnancy contribute to 10% of all maternal deaths with postpartum infections tipped to be contribution 8% of all maternal deaths. 6% of all maternal deaths are however related to obstructed labor, 3% of maternal deaths are related to blood clots that occur to women either during the pregnancy periods or at the times of delivery. Furthermore, some preexisting conditions are said to be contributing 28% of all maternal deaths. Some other indirect conditions like HIV/AIDS, malaria, cardiovascular diseases, and anemia are also factors that have been causing maternal related deaths in the society (GoI 2011; UN 2000; Souza et al. 2013; WHO 2012; World Bank 2012). There are however some sociodemographic issues like access to resources,income levels and age which are considered to be the best determinants of maternal outcomes. Some young mothers like those who are at adolescents stages and those that are 15 years and below are considered to be a higher risk experiencing deaths and complications during pregnancies and delivery compared to older mothers who are above 30 years(WHO, 2012). Furthermore, it is indicated that risks such as operative vaginal delivery, puerperal endometritis, postpartum hemorrhage, episiotomy, low birthweight, small-for-gestational-age infants and preterm delivery are so higher in young mothers especially the adolescents hence they are at higher risk of maternal deaths compared to older mothers. Maternal outcomes are also greatly influenced by family support and structural support for women. Additionally, social isolation and social disadvantage greatly have the impact on maternal health which can contribute to increased maternal death. Also, some factors like inability to get skilled medical care at the ...