Maternal mortality is a significant public health issue in Pakistan, with high rates of maternal deaths occurring in the country. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world, with approximately 270 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. This is significantly higher than the global average of 216 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.
There are several factors that contribute to the high rates of maternal mortality in Pakistan. One of the main factors is the lack of access to quality maternal healthcare services. Many women in Pakistan do not have access to skilled birth attendants or appropriate medical care during pregnancy and childbirth. This lack of access can lead to complications during pregnancy and childbirth, which can ultimately result in maternal deaths.
Another factor contributing to maternal mortality in Pakistan is the low status of women in society. Many women in Pakistan do not have the same rights and opportunities as men, and this can affect their ability to access healthcare and make decisions about their own health. Additionally, cultural and societal norms often discourage women from seeking medical care, further exacerbating the problem of maternal mortality.
There are also economic and logistical barriers to accessing maternal healthcare in Pakistan. Many women live in rural or remote areas, and the lack of transportation and infrastructure can make it difficult for them to access healthcare facilities. Additionally, the high cost of healthcare can be a deterrent for many women seeking care.
In order to address the issue of maternal mortality in Pakistan, it is important to prioritize improving access to quality maternal healthcare services. This includes increasing the availability of skilled birth attendants and improving the quality of care at healthcare facilities. It is also important to address the underlying social and cultural factors that contribute to maternal mortality, such as the low status of women in society and the barriers to accessing healthcare.
Efforts to reduce maternal mortality in Pakistan will require a multi-faceted approach that involves the government, healthcare providers, and communities. By addressing the underlying issues and improving access to maternal healthcare, it is possible to significantly reduce the rates of maternal mortality in Pakistan.
UNFPA Pakistan
For example, in Sri Lanka, use of skilled birth attendants reduced maternal mortality from 2,000 to 31 deaths per 100,000 women from 1930 to 2011. Islamabad, Pakistan, and Calverton, Maryland, USA: NIPS and ICF International. A cross-sectional survey on emergency obstetric care services facilities conducted by Ali et al. A grandmother stands at an incubator looking at her grandson lying in an incubator, looking worried about the health of the baby at Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan. Moreover, an international cross sectional study was conducted by Karlsen, et al. Backlinks from other websites and blogs are the lifeblood of our site and are our primary source of new traffic.
Maternal Mortality Rate in Pakistan
She works as Vice President and Technical Consultant to NCMNH and is also the President of the Association for Mothers and Newborns AMAN , an NGO working for Maternal and Newborn health. For more details about AMAN, please visit the website: Ms. About 1,900 of those deaths occur in the northwestern province of KP, where the Khans live and where the fertility rate is even higher than the national average. Thousands of women continued to die giving birth each year. Such surveys play a vital role the world over in evidence-based decision-making to improve maternal healthcare. She was instrumental in spearheading a project on PAC in Pakistan, in collaboration with Ipas, during which Manual vacuum Aspiration MVA and Misoprostol for PAC both being WHO recommended technologies was introduced in Pakistan for the first time. The Lancet, 364 9437 , 900-906.
Maternal mortality in Pakistan: Challenges, efforts, and recommendations
Please check your download folder. In order to address these issues, the government needs to work alongside international organizations to acquire funding to build new facilities, particularly in rural areas, train skilled staff, educate on the benefits of antenatal and delivery care, and provide additional funding to subsidize the care itself for those in need. Mortality due to these cases can be prevented by proper antenatal care and detections of life threatening signs and timely referral to comprehensive emergency maternal obstetric neonatal care EmOC services. Socio economic determinants Poverty Poverty plays as a barrier to satisfy basic human needs and to access reproductive health services which contribute to maternal mortality. Sathar received the award of Tamgha-i-Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan in March 2006 in recognition of her meritorious services to the development sector in Pakistan. About the authors: Amer Malik is an investigative journalist associated with The News International, Pakistan. If you use our chart images on your site or blog, we ask that you provide attribution via a link back to this page.
Maternal mortality
Under the survey — which was undertaken in the four provinces, Islamabad Capital Territory, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir — questions were put to households about deaths of married women between the ages of 15 and 49 years to determine rate of maternal mortality, which includes deaths of ever-married women during pregnancy, delivery, and 42 days after delivery or the end of pregnancy. They have also focused on maternal care after delivery or at the end of pregnancy. With a new survey due out in the next few months, they predict the rates will only continue to rise in the wake of a series of disasters, beginning with the COVID-19 pandemic. Geneva Switzerland World Economic Forum 2013. One-third of pregnant women in Pakistan do not get prenatal care at all, due to feeling it is unnecessary or that it costs too much money. Due to inadequate quantity and quality of food intake, the pregnant women suffer with nutritional deficiency anemia.
The best laid plans: Maternal mortality in Pakistan
A report by Bekhouch et al. There are many factors such as biological, socio-economic, cultural and availability of quality Reproductive Health Services RHS in the country which contribute to the alarming figure of Maternal Mortality Ratio MMR. Talat Rizvi Advisor Dr Talat Rizvi is a Public Health Physician with a vast experience in Maternal and Child Health with a particular focus on community-based projects. Meanwhile, governments, non-governmental organizations and community groups are doing what they can to keep more mothers alive in both countries. Certain areas in Pakistan fare worse than others when it comes to maternal mortality. A grandmother stands at an incubator looking at her grandson lying in an incubator, looking worried about the health of the baby at Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan. Another problem is that women — including Lubna Khan — marry and begin having children in their teens, when they are likely to face more health problems during pregnancy and birth.