“Maternal and child health protection”

From February 9 to 11, 2016 there were held consultations on the theme “Maternal and child health protection” under the leadership of Youth Health Center. The event was organized at the Departments “Public health -1”, “Public health- 2”, “Therapy of Bachelor’s degree” with the participation of student groups 401, 402 “Medical and preventive car”, 101, 201, 202, 505, 506 «Public health».

Problems of maternal and child health protection is the concern of every person. Talking about maternal health, we are referring to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. Newborn health is the health of babies in the first month of their lifes.

High maternal mortality in some parts of the world reflects inequities in access to health services and shows the great inequality between rich and poor people. Almost all maternal deaths (99%) occur in developing countries. More than half of these cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa and almost one-third - in South Asia.

Why do women die?

Women die as a result of complications during and after pregnancy and childbirth. Most of these complications develop during pregnancy and can be prevented. Other complications may exist prior to pregnancy, but worsen during pregnancy, especially if they are not watched.

How is it possible to save mothers’ lives?

Maternal and newborn health is closely connected. Approximately 2, 7 million of newborn babies die every year and another 2, 6 million are stillborn. It is particularly important to ensure the presence of skilled health professionals during all births, as the timely care and treatment may save one’s life.

By the end of this consultation, we concluded that the general health of future parents and their chosen lifestyle can affect mother’s health, as well as the possibility of developing chronic conditions in children at later life stages. A healthy lifestyle requires healthy eating, physical activity and avoiding unhealthy behaviors (eg, smoking, illegal drug use, alcohol use and unsafe sexual behavior). Future parents should be screened for potential health problems. If there are any, it is necessary to make a correct diagnosis and a course of treatment for optimal maternal and newborn health.