Researchers from Beijing and London conducted a study of 1.5 million births for the past 12 years between 1996 and 2008. They found that the neonatal mortality rate was cut by half when the babies were born in hospitals. However, babies born in rural areas were four times more likely to die even if they were born in hospitals because of the poor hospital conditions. Some people have suggested more community-based interventions to alleviate the problem of neonatal problems in the poor regions. This problem demonstrates the situation for many poor communities. The problem is necessarily constructing more hospitals in poor regions; it is making quality care available to them. Perhaps showing the mothers how to properly take care of themselves during their pregnancy can help dramatically. If the effort is in reducing these neonatal deaths, education must be the primary tool to educate these mothers and other community members to take care of the mother during her nine months and to safely deliver the baby. The Coventry University published a presentation titled "Improving Community Midwifery Practice To Reduce Infant Mortality In Coventry 2006-2008.” This study showed that midwives help in reducing infant mortality rates because it is a community effort. The midwife not only shows the mother to take care of herself, but delivers the baby and continues to support the mother a short period after to show her how to take care of her newborn. This relatively inexpensive effort can revolutionize and empower women to help themselves and each other. It begins with education and will end with it as well.
The dramatic decrease in neonatal mortality in just a few short years gives great hope that change is attainable on the large scale. Unfortunately, it is always the rural areas that experience a lag in development in comparison to urban areas. The education of mothers is definitely a relatively easy yet important method to implement in combating neonatal mortality rates. Unfortunately, the use of midwives is not as simple, as it requires a workforce that may not be present in rural areas as of yet.
ReplyDeleteGiven the statistics, it is proven that the care given in hospitals can greatly reduce the neonatal death rates. Surrounded by trained physicians, children and mothers are at less of a risk than they would potentially be giving birth at home. Not only is providing the care needed, it is also equally important to ensure the environment is clean and sterile. Newborns are so fragile at birth and with a weakened immune system; they are susceptible to catching diseases and viruses easily. A combination of all these will have the potential to reach the Millennium Development Goal targeted in 2015.
ReplyDeleteIf babies are more likely to live if they are born in hospitals, then more need to be born in hospitals or hospital like locations. More needs to be done for the poor inorder for them to reach hospitals or locations where it will be safe for their children to be born and survive.
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