Pregnancy Is Not A Death Sentence

 Childbirth is supposed to be one of the happy moments in life, as people welcome a new member into a family and, by extension, to the society.

No wonder, ululation is synonymous with childbirth, as elation becomes the prevalent emotion.

Unfortunately, an ironic situation has been unfolding in the background, where pregnant women who are expected to bring joy to the society are dying in the process of giving life.

According to the Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Malawi, postpartum haemorrhage—or excessive bleeding—after childbirth is responsible for about one in every five maternal deaths in the country,

The association indicates that most women affected by pregnancy and childbirth complications die during labour or shortly after giving birth, despite many of the complications being preventable if identified and treated early.

The unfortunate thing is that some of the causes of death are preventable.

Experts say intensified public awareness, particularly in rural communities where women may face delays in seeking medical attention or accessing appropriate maternal healthcare services, is one of the solutions to the problem. In fact, women must first know that excessive bleeding is preventable.

As such, women must embrace health-seeking behaviour, which will culminate in them seeking medical attention immediately after discovering that they are pregnant so that healthcare workers can assess their condition and identify potential complications before they become life-threatening.

There is also a need for women to identify conditions that may lead to their untimely demise. For instance, anaemia is one of the conditions that should be detected and treated during pregnancy because it can increase risks that are associated with childbirth and excessive bleeding.

Moving forward, we expect all stakeholders—women in particular and community members in general, Ministry of Health officials, public and private sector players, the men who impregnate the women, among others—to put hands to the wheel and ensure that preventable deaths are put at bay.

That way, Malawi will become an embodiment of good health.

Health-seeking behaviour must not be seen as an option; rather, it must be regarded as a must—the very essence of life.