Indirect causes of maternal death
Photo: Zahedul I Khan
Every day 20 women die during childbirth in the world. Apart from medical issues, there are some non medical issues (indirect causes) that should be taken into serious consideration to reduce maternal death. Studies show that 35 percent mothers die due to non medical causes. Non medical causes include superstitions, age-old beliefs of elderly members of the family regarding pregnancy and birth rituals, women's lack of decision making power, poverty, low rate of female education, unfriendly hospitals, discrimination, religious barriers, early marriage and so on. Still, especially in the rural areas of Bangladesh expectant mothers are not allowed to seek ANC (Ante Natal Care) on religious grounds and some other social reasons. Elderly members in the family compel the expectant mothers to eat less so that the child in the womb will become smaller and the delivery will be easy, which is causing severe malnutrition to both the mother and the child. Poverty is the root cause of all types of inequalities that needs to be eradicated, otherwise we wi;;not get satisfactory results in this case. Early child bearing is one of the major causes of maternal death which is happening due to early marriage. Besides, most of the service providing agencies are not women-friendly. However, a very little research has been done so far in the field of indirect causes behind maternal death. So, more research should be conducted by both the government and other stakeholders to recommend the ways to root out the indirect causes of maternal death for achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
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