Being a mother is not an easy thing. Pregnancy, birth, post-partum; every stage of motherhood is very difficult and painful. Life of a mother hangs by a thread during these critical months, and yet, most of the times, gravity of the situation is not understood by the stake holders.
Women everywhere, especially in the developing countries are not given the right care and protocol during these phases, despite being very vulnerable. While yes, it is just as important to cater to the wellbeing of the baby, but that is impossible to do without accommodating to the needs of the mother.
It is thus vital to understand the importance of maternal health, as it has a significant impact on the quality of life that the next generation will end up leading. Hence, all women who are planning a baby or are already pregnant should contact their Gynecologist in Karachi and have information about the things they should be doing to promote their wellbeing.
Maternal health directly impacts the wellbeing of the baby before birth
Mother’s mental and physical health is of utmost significance for the wellbeing of the future generations. If the mother is malnourished, her baby will not get the adequate nutrition, jeopardizing the development of the baby.
Also, if the mother is suffering from any infections or similar ailments, the life of the baby is endangered as well. Furthermore, women need proper nutrition and supplements acid during pregnancy to help avert the risk of diseases in the babies. For example, folic acid is imperative during the first trimester, and its deficiency can lead to the debilitating condition, spina bifida, in the baby; such is the gravity of the situation.
Moreover, women during pregnancy are subjected to all sorts of mental issues, which too have a dire impact on the baby. According to research, mother’s depression and stress is in fact projected on the baby, before and after birth, both. This in turn impacts the brain development of the baby, with repercussions that are life-spanning.
Maternal health impacts the infant mortality
A weak mother will not be able to give birth to a healthy baby. The distress of the mother notwithstanding, baby too is in peril if maternal health is not addressed. Thousands of still births can be prevented if maternal nutrition is prioritized.
Similarly, babies of impoverished mothers if are able to make out alive, have the fear of death still looms amongst the neonates.
Only healthy mothers are able to raise healthy children
Naturally, if the mother is not well, suffers from multiple ailments and is herself malnourished, she will also not be able to raise healthy children.
Breast milk is the best form of nutrition for the infant. Yet, so many women are unable to nurse either because they are too frail, or they do not have milk due to lack of adequate nutrition during pregnancy.
As the mental and physical growth of the child is directly determined by the physical and mental condition of the mother, hence impeding on the former manifests in the latter as well.
Most importantly, to save the life of the women
Countless women die during or after birth due to postpartum bleeding and similar complications. What is even more unfortunate is that these are preventable deaths; if timely aid and assistance is given to the pregnant women, their lives can be saved.
Most of the cases pertain to the poor and rural areas where young girls who are only in their teenager themselves end up getting pregnant. Many are unable to make alive out of the trauma that childbirth is.
However, this problem is not limited to the poor sectors of the society. Incompetent doctors, lack of access to medical facility, reliance on ill-trained mid-wives are some other factors that complicate the situation and contribute to raising statistics of maternal mortality.
Moreover, another important contributor of maternal mortality, after age, is the lack of gap between births. Many women end up getting pregnant either every year or have kids with very less gap. This too, puts a great deal of toll on women, many of whom end up end not surviving childbirth. Not only this, but the babies are too have a greater probability of dying.
It is therefore incumbent on pregnant women to trust only the top Gynecologist in Karachi. They should have access to top-notch medical care before, after and during the childbirth. Even if want a home birth with a mid-wife, they should also consult OB-GYN as the situation during labor can anytime take a turn for the worst. And a mid-wife can only do so much then.
Suffice to say, maternal health is a cornerstone of a healthy society and addressing it is imperative for everyone across the globe.