Low-Cost Injections Decrease Death Rate During
Childbirth
Every year, more than 500,000
women die as a result of childbirth - mainly
from excessive bleeding known as postpartum hemorrhage.
In response, USAID has launched
a special initiative to make available low-cost
injections of drugs that can stop such bleeding
within minutes and save lives, no matter how
far from hospitals and clinics births take place.
On average, a woman will die
within two hours after the onset of excessive
bleeding if she does not receive prompt treatment.
Maternal deaths are highest when women lack medical
care, transport systems, and emergency services.
Programs are being designed
and funded in Benin, Ethiopia, Mali, and Zambia,
and activities have already begun in Indonesia.
The goal is to equip birth attendants in homes,
health centers, and hospitals with the skills,
drugs, and other supplies to reduce maternal
mortality.
“Most of these deaths occur
in developing countries, often because women
lack access to lifesaving care,” said Dr. Abdelhadi
, USAID's senior advisor on this issue. “Our
maternal and neonatal health programs promote
skilled attendance at birth and the provision
of lifesaving basic essential obstetric care.”
Substantial declines in maternal
deaths have already been achieved in the last
15 years in Egypt (52 percent decline), Bangladesh
(22 percent), and Honduras (41 percent).
Excessive bleeding after childbirth
usually occurs after the infant is delivered
but before expulsion of the placenta. Excessive
bleeding usually results from delayed delivery
of the placenta or failure of the uterus to contract.
When this happens, bleeding from blood vessels
in the uterus is uncontrolled. Anemic women are
particularly susceptible, though two-thirds of
cases occur in women with no identifiable risk
factors.
The American College of Nurse-Midwives,
filiate JHPIEGO, Management Sciences for Health
have joined together on this initiative.
“We are putting the spotlight
on prevention of excessive bleeding within the
context of ongoing maternal child health services
and safe motherhood programs,” said Dr. E. Anne
Peterson, Assistant Administrator for the Bureau
for Global Health.
“If we increase knowledge and
skills in the community and health facilities
and prepare frontline providers to focus first
and foremost on the biggest maternal killer,
we will save mothers and their children.”
Read
the April 2003 Issue of FrontLines [PDF, 1.63MB]
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