Every year half a million women die in the world from causes related to pregnancy. The main causes of maternal death are: abortion (33%), hemorrhages (14%), infections (12%) and hypertension. These same causes can cause the death of newborns, along with others, such as premature babies. Neonatal Mortality (from 0 to 28 days of life) is responsible for more than 60% of Infant Mortality (0 to 1 year of life). More than half of all these deaths are preventable.
Serious symptoms in the pregnant woman and the baby
It is important that all pregnant women recognize the following as symptoms that can endanger the life of the woman and the fetus:
- Loss of fluid or blood from the genitals
- Marked swelling of the legs, hands, face or feet
- Burning when urinating
- stop feeling the baby move or perceive that it moves less than usual
- frequent contractions
- fever
- a persistent headache
- blurred vision
- persistent vomiting
It is necessary to talk with the mothers about the possibilities of going to the establishment of referral and think with her about the different ways of access in case the health center could not take care of the transfer.
Maternal, fetal and neonatal mortality is a tragic symptom of a serious social injustice, which can only be faced from a comprehensive vision of the problem. There are causes that make it difficult for women to reach health services, which prevents the detection of risk situations during pregnancy and childbirth, or in the newborn. The most common are: the distance to the health center, the limited hours of attention or the need to get a number very early, the problems with the care of their other children while they go to the Health Center, the scant information on the need for controls, limited school education. All this can mean that women do not have preconception control, that they do not visit the doctor during pregnancy or after delivery, that they do not take their children periodically to the Health Center and that they do not resort to sexual health and responsible procreation services to plan future pregnancies.