Question

Currently, American women are dying from pregnancy-related complications more than women in other developed countries. Why do you think that the maternal mortality rate is higher in the United States than in other nations? From a public health perspective, how can we improve?

Answer 1

Maternal Mortality

                Maternal Mortality refers to the death of either a pregnant women or within the 42 days of delivery. From the studies, it is clear that the United States Maternal Mortality rate is increasing as it was doubled from 10.3 per 100,000 to 23.8 within 13 years.

Causes of High Maternal Mortality Rate in US

Medical Causes

· Hemorrhage

           Severe loss of blood due to hemorrhage during the Normal delivery or cesarean will affect the internal organs of the mother this will result in shock which is fatal.

· Pre – eclampsia

          Pre – eclampsia is condition in which there is an increase in the blood pressure. This condition also become and eclampsia and the mother undergoes sometimes in coma stage, finally the death will occur.

· Embolism

         Pulmonary embolism which will develop in the lung and brain will result in maternal death.

· Infection

         Occurrence of infections such as infection of the amniotic fluid, genital tract infection, sepsis and blood infection, and all these factors will threaten the mother and baby life.

· Cardiomyopathy

        This is a condition in which there is an enlargement of the heart that causes low blood pressure which will result in decreased heart function and finally heart failure.

Social factors

· Education

         Maternal mortality rate is high in uneducated people when compare to the educated people. Mother with low education level has low knowledge regarding the maternal care. Hence education plays an important role in the Maternity mortality rate.

· Age

          Young adolescent’s mothers are the highest risk group for fatal complications.

· Race

         While comparing the race for the risk for maternal mortality rate, the studies shows that African- American women are at risk for around four times than other group of pregnant women.

· Income

         Women with poor income are at risk for fatal complications. Mothers are stressed of being lower income; this stress will affect the pregnancy and the unborn babies.

Measures to prevent Maternal Mortality

    The Maternal mortality rate can be reducing by following the below steps:

· Provide proper education to all women

· Encourage the women to use the contraceptives to avoid unwanted pregnancies

· Hospitals should provide best practices for the care of high-risk pregnant cases

· Delivery should be conducted by a skilled health care professional

· Monitor the high risk pregnancies and deliveries

· Implement best and advanced care to those who are at high risk

· Maintain a relationship between lower and higher resource hospitals.