Protecting against health hazards of motherhood

Maintaining healthy mothers
Providing health services for mothers

Description

Protecting against health hazards of motherhood involves implementing measures to prevent, identify, and treat health risks associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum periods. Essential actions include ensuring access to quality prenatal and postnatal care, skilled birth attendance, emergency obstetric services, nutrition support, and education on maternal health. This strategy aims to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, address complications, and promote the well-being of mothers through timely medical intervention and community-based support systems.

Context

Healthy mothers are children's first line of defense against death, malnutrition and a cycle of poverty and disease. Newborns, born premature and/or with low birth weight and micronutrient deficiencies, reflect their mothers' poor nutritional status. Women's health and nutritional status also affects their ability to nourish and nurture their children as they grow.