Ensuring Healthy Mothers and Babies

Maternal health is most often ignored but still, it’s the most important factor that can have a long-lasting impact on the survival of the child. An important link exists between maternal health and child health. To know more about these linkages as maternal health determines the nutrition factors, prenatal care, during and post-delivery care, and postpartum care for mother and child. The best way to focus on maternal care is to do family planning. These are the steps that couples may take to ensure their children are born as healthy as they can be.

Why is there a need to take care of the health of mothers for healthy babies?

The need that emerges from the data relating to child survival is not easy. It has been seen that one out of every 12 newborns dies before reaching their fifth birthday. Every year about 4 million children die within the first month after their birth and there within one year of their birth and these deaths are more frequent in developing countries. Adding on, approximately 16 million babies are recorded to be born every year. About 174 million babies less than 5 years of age are malnourished.

The main causes of death of children are pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, and measles- that are either preventable by vaccinating them at the right time. However, the above-given facts are only telling some part of the story. Other facts and figures moving maternal mortality provide a devastating picture. 

Every year about 520,000 women die due to complications in their pregnancy and during childbirth. While 15-18 million women face long-time injuries and other serious issues. Adding on, the lifetime risk of dying due to issues that arise during pregnancy is very high.

Let us understand what is a connection between mother heath and child survival:

A good mother’s health represents the best hope for the survival of the child. When a mother dies after giving birth to children, her children’s lives get affected and even some of the children lose their lives as well. On another side, if a mother’s well-being is good then it increases the chances of survival. From all these points it is well understood that when the mother has good health their children not only survive but grow as a healthy developing baby.

How to make childbirth safer?

A mother is supposed to be the most important person in a child’s life. So, maternal health must be taken into account for the saving of children. Child survival can be easily improved by taking care of the mother in the initial years before the child is born. Other factors include child feeding, consulting with the doctor when a child is ill, maintaining health hygiene, and access to immunization and other healthcare services. These factors can see millions of children and mothers at very minimal costs. 

Other important factors are:

Family planning: It is the best way that allows couples to have children at the time they want, and protects and promotes the health of children. It allows women to have children at the time they want in the safest and healthy time. It also helps them to collect their financial expenses and be emotionally ready for parenthood. It has been noted that young women less than 18 years of age have more chances to die than women having ages of 20-29 years. 

Focussing on a nutritious diet: Good nutrition is an important cornerstone of a safe mother and child. Women when they reach puberty should take the right nutrition and should be free of any type of disease and infection. They should have the right weight according to their body mass index as women who are malnourished and underweight often suffer from high health risks.

Golden words:

Women who are thinking of getting pregnant should take the right nutrition, eat a diet that is high in proteins, micronutrients, and other vitamins. Deficiencies of micronutrients may increase the risk of death, especially in early pregnancy. Right nutrition before and during pregnancy can minimize the risks of infections and increase the survival of mothers and children.