‘Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures’ campaign aims to end preventable deaths and prioritise holistic care for women and infants globally
World Health Day, celebrated on 7 April 2025, will kick off a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health. The campaign, titled Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures’, will urge governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and to prioritize women’s longer-term health and well-being.
Helping every woman and baby survive and thrive is a critical task. Tragically, based on currently published estimates, close to 300,000 women lose their lives due to pregnancy or childbirth each year, while over 2 million babies die in their first month of life and around 2 million more are stillborn. That’s roughly 1 preventable death every 7 seconds.
Women and families everywhere need high-quality care that supports them physically and emotionally, before, during and after birth.
Health systems must evolve to manage the many health issues that impact maternal and newborn health. These not only include direct obstetric complications but also mental health conditions, non-communicable diseases and family planning.
Understanding the causes of maternal and newborn deaths in India is crucial for improving healthcare outcomes. Here’s a breakdown of the key factors:
Causes of Maternal Deaths:
Obstetric Hemorrhage: Excessive bleeding during or after childbirth is a leading cause. This is particularly prevalent in regions with limited access to quality healthcare.
Infections: Postpartum infections can be severe, especially with poor hygiene and inadequate medical care.
Hypertensive Disorders: Conditions like pre-eclampsia and eclampsia pose significant risks.
Unsafe Abortions: Complications from unsafe abortions contribute to maternal mortality.
Indirect Causes: Pre-existing conditions like anaemia, malnutrition, and other diseases can worsen during pregnancy.
Lack of adequate prenatal and postnatal care: This lack of care leads to complications not being found, and dealt with, in a timely manner.
Causes of Newborn Deaths:
Premature Birth: Babies born too early face increased risks of complications.
Birth Asphyxia: Lack of oxygen during birth can cause severe problems.
Infections: Newborns are vulnerable to infections like sepsis and pneumonia.
Congenital Abnormalities: Birth defects can lead to fatal outcomes.
Malnutrition: Maternal malnutrition, and inadequate feeding practices after birth, cause newborn deaths.
Inadequate Prenatal and Postnatal Care: This leads to health issues not being addressed in a timely manner.
Contributing Factors:
Socioeconomic Disparities: Poverty, lack of education, and limited access to healthcare disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.
Geographical Barriers: Rural areas often have inadequate healthcare infrastructure.
Cultural Practices: Traditional beliefs and practices can sometimes hinder access to modern medical care.
Lack of access to quality healthcare: This includes a lack of trained medical professionals and medical facilities.
Addressing maternal and newborn deaths in India requires a multifaceted approach. Here’s a breakdown of key measures:
Strengthening Healthcare Infrastructure: Ensure well-equipped health facilities, especially in rural and underserved areas. Increase the number of skilled birth attendants (doctors, nurses, and midwives). Enhance emergency obstetric and newborn care services. Invest in building and upgrading primary health centres and community health centres. Ensure the availability of essential medical supplies and equipment.
Enhancing Maternal and Newborn Health Services: Promote regular antenatal checkups to detect and manage pregnancy complications. Provide essential services like iron and folic acid supplementation, tetanus immunization, and screening for infections.
Encourage institutional deliveries under the supervision of skilled birth attendants. Implement programs to train and support traditional birth attendants.
Ensure timely postnatal checkups for mothers and newborns. Promote breastfeeding and provide guidance on newborn care. providing post partum family planning services.
Promote essential newborn care practices, including immediate drying, skin-to-skin contact, and early initiation of breastfeeding. Establish special newborn care units (SNCUs) to manage sick newborns.
- Addressing Socioeconomic Factors: Address malnutrition among women of reproductive age and pregnant women. Promote healthy diets and provide nutritional supplements.
Increase girls’ education to improve their health literacy and decision-making power. Educate communities about maternal and newborn health.
Promote women’s empowerment and gender equality. Address social and cultural practices that negatively impact maternal and newborn health.
- Implementing Effective Programs and Policies: Strengthen and expand the reach of NHM programs, such as Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK).
Targeted interventions should be focused on states and districts with the highest maternal and infant mortality rates.
Involve communities in maternal and newborn health programs. Utilize community health workers to provide education and support.
By implementing these measures, India can significantly reduce maternal and newborn deaths and improve the health and well-being of its population.
The writer is a teacher at Higher Secondary School, Nehalpora, Pattan
Kousar Ahmed Rather
ko************@***il.com