MATERNAL

AND
NEWBORN CARE
MARISSA G. CAGALAWAN, RN. MN.
Maternal and Child Health Coordinator
“Nasa hukay ang isang paa ng
isang inang manganganak “
Most mothers in the communities who died giving birth
experienced what experts have classified as the three
delays, These are:
I. Delay in deciding to seek medical
care.
II. Delay in reaching appropriate care
III. Delay in receiving care at health
facilities
Every woman has the
right to health
• To have a healthy pregnancy and safe delivery, the right
to quality maternal health care and the right to make
decisions about their own health. Unfortunately, this
remains an ideal and not a reality. Unavailability of
services and proper information, existence of laws that
are discriminatory against women, and inequalities at
home and in the community are just some of the factors
which prohibits them for realizing these reproductive
health rights.
 The Story of Nena
• Nena is a 23-year old mother from Samar who gave birth to her first baby at
home with the assistance of a traditional birth attendant (TBA). The TBA
instructed her to put sanitary napkins as she may still bleed. She thought that
heavy bleeding was normal especially for first time mothers like her. However, a
day had passed and she was still bleeding profusely. Her husband went to see
the only midwife in their community but she was attending to another delivery
then. He wanted to bring her to the provincial hospital but they had no means of
transportation at that time. Finally he was able to bring her to the hospital but it
was already too late. She died of heavy bleeding.
• Nena is just one out of the 10 Filipino mothers who die everyday from
complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. Tragically, 14 percent of all
deaths among Filipino women 15 to 49 years old are due to maternal deaths.
Major causes of Maternal Death
• Post partum hemorrhage

• Eclampsia

• Obstructed labor

• Complications from abortion

 Indirect causes of Maternal
Deaths

• Anemia • Diabetes

• Sepsis
• Malaria
Delay in deciding to seek Medical
Care
• Failure to recognize danger signs
• Absence of skilled attendants
• Lack of money to pay for medical expenses and cost of transportation
• Pregnancy is unplanned or unwanted
• Poor quality of obstetrical care
• Fear of being ill-treated in the health facility
• Reluctance from the mother or the family due to cultural constraints
• The woman or family member present at childbirth lack power to make
decision
• Lack of encouragement from relatives and community members to seek
care
• No available person to take care of the children, the home and livestock
• Lack of companion in going to the health facility
Delay in identifying and reaching the
Appropriate Facility
• Distance from a woman’s home to a facility or provider
• Lack of roads or poor condition of roads
• Lack of emergency transportation whether by land or water
• Lack of awareness of existing services
• Lack of a referral system
• Lack of communication with referral facility
• Lack of moral, financial and logistical support from neighbors, the
barangay captain and barangay officials or the mayor.
Delay in receiving appropriate and
Adequate Care at the Facility
• Lack of health care personnel
• Unprofessional attitudes of health care providers
• Shortages of supplies
• Lack of basic equipment
• Poor skills of health care providers
• Health is not prioritized by the barangay and
municipal officials
• Lack of budget from the LGU