Youth Guide to Action on Maternal Health - Women Deliver

More documents

Recommendations

Info

2. Get InformedWhere?Of all health indica<strong>to</strong>rs tracked by the World Health Organization (WHO), maternalmortality shows the greatest disparity between rich and poor countries: 99 percen<strong>to</strong>f women who die during pregnancy and childbirth are in the developing world. 18births per 1,000 Adolescent girls aged 15-19 19more than 150100.1 – 15050.1 – 100less than 50no dataIn developing countries each year…• 215 million women who want <strong>to</strong> avoid pregnancy do not use an effectivemethod of contraception. 20• Nearly half of pregnant women give birth without the assistance ofa skilled provider. 21• 20 million women have unsafe abortions. 22• 10 <strong>to</strong> 20 million women suffer severe or long-lasting illnesses or disabilitiescaused by complications during pregnancy and childbirth. 23• 50 million pregnant women are exposed <strong>to</strong> malaria, contributing <strong>to</strong> severematernal anemia, miscarriage, and babies with low birthweight. 24• 1.5 million HIV positive women give birth in developing countries.Pregnancy is associated with an elevated risk of contracting HIV, whileHIV/AIDS can raise pregnant women’s risk of hemorrhage, sepsis, andother complications. 25• Conflict, natural disasters, and other crises displace women—includingpregnant women and women who become pregnant while displaced.While their chances of attaining care have increased, the vast majoritygive birth without the medical care they need. 26Probability relative <strong>to</strong> mothers 24 <strong>to</strong> 26 years old*2.52.01.5HypertensiveDisordersWhy? 1.08%ObstructedLaborEnsuring women’s and girls’ health is a human right. Maternal health is central0.528% Other13%<strong>to</strong> women’s overall health, and women’s health affects everyone: healthy womenUnsafe Abortioncontribute <strong>to</strong> the health and well-being of their children, families, communities, and0.0MORTALITY UNDERWEIGHT STUNTING DIARRHEA ANEMIAnations. And everyone has a role <strong>to</strong> play in ensuring that their health is a priority. 27DEVELOPA GLOBAL PLAN FORDEVELOPMENT8.• Policy makers must have thepolitical will <strong>to</strong> enact policiesand allocate funds <strong>to</strong> improvematernal health.1.ERADICATEEXTREMEPOVERTY• Communities shape social andcultural norms that support or5.detract from women’s ability <strong>to</strong>IMPROVEclaim their rights. All membersMATERNALof communities—not just theHEALTHmost powerful—should beinvolved in efforts <strong>to</strong> moni<strong>to</strong>rand evaluate policies, <strong>to</strong> mobilizepolitical will, and <strong>to</strong> define gapsin health service coverage.ENSUREENVIRONMENTALSUSTAINABILITY7.ACHIEVEUNIVERSAL PRIMARYEDUCATIONCOMBAT AIDS/HIV,MALARIA AND OTHERDISEASES6.2.REDUCECHILDMORTALITYPROMOTE GENDEREQUALITY ANDEMPOWER WOMEN4.AGE OF MOTHERAT FIRST BIRTH12-14• Health care providers can helpprovide safe spaces for eventhe most marginalized women and girls <strong>to</strong> get the care they need byshowing respect and sensitivity <strong>to</strong> the needs and concerns of theirpatients.• Local, regional, national, and international media can raise awarenessof an issue, project, or initiative and connect personal s<strong>to</strong>ries andstatistics.• Family members—including male family members—can promoteequitable gender norms at home.3.Comprehensive solutions are attainable—and urgent.Health systems that work for girls work for everyone: not only are they proven<strong>to</strong> reach girls, who are among the most socially vulnerable, and easily excludedgroups, but they are also likely <strong>to</strong> be equipped with the resources, skills, andsupplies needed <strong>to</strong> provide all levels of care. 2815-1718-20PROVIDERS12%Eclampsia &POLICY MAKERSHEALTH CARE15%SepsisFAMILY MEMBERSCOMMUNITIES& INTERNATIONAL MEDIA24%HemorrhageLOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL7
2. Get Informed8HOW TO SAVE GIRLS’ AND WOMEN’S LIVESThree health systems strategies have been proven <strong>to</strong> improve girls’ and women’schances of surviving pregnancy, childbirth, and the critical days after the end of apregnancy: 29123Access <strong>to</strong> voluntary family planningWhat it is: Counseling <strong>to</strong> ensure that women, and couples make informedchoices regarding contraception; medical care/services supporting thosedecisions; and appropriate supplies, such as contraceptive pills, emergencycontraceptives, and condoms.Why it matters: Ensuring girls, women, and their male partners have access <strong>to</strong>family planning enables them <strong>to</strong> avoid high-risk and unintended pregnancies.Access <strong>to</strong> quality care for pregnancy and childbirth (antenatalcare; skilled attendance at birth, including emergency obstetricand neonatal care; and immediate postnatal care for mothersand newborns, at delivery and in the postpartum period)What it is: Antenatal care includes counseling <strong>to</strong> prepare women for birthand recognize complications and services <strong>to</strong> treat syphilis, prevent mother<strong>to</strong>-childtransmission of HIV, provide tetanus vaccinations, and intervene <strong>to</strong>benefit both mothers and newborns. Skilled care during labor and at deliveryincludes 24-hour access <strong>to</strong> skilled birth attendants, such as doc<strong>to</strong>rs, nurses,and midwives for normal deliveries, and referrals for obstetric emergencies.Immediate postnatal care for mothers and newborns includes moni<strong>to</strong>ring ofexcessive bleeding, pain, and infection; counseling on breastfeeding, familyplanning, and nutrition; and newborn care, including identification of dangersigns and treatment or referral for complications.Why it matters: 42 percent of pregnancies everywhere in the world involveserious complications. Skilled care makes the difference between life and death.Access <strong>to</strong> safe abortion, when legalWhat it is: Medical or surgical procedures <strong>to</strong> terminate an unwanted pregnancy,in accordance with the laws of a given country. Services must be provided bywell-trained personnel, with access <strong>to</strong> appropriate equipment and supplies andsupported by the health system infrastructures, policy, and regulations thatensure safety.Why it matters: Unsafe abortions account for 13 percent of deaths associatedwith pregnancy and childbirth.THREE DELAYS 30Once complications occur, women’s survival depends on whether they are able <strong>to</strong>get the care that they need. Three delays raise women’s risk of dying:1. Delay in seeking care: Women and girls may have <strong>to</strong> get permissionfrom husbands or parents, and women and their families may notrecognize the emergency; some may fear hospital practices. Youngwomen often experience further delays because of stigma of youngwomen’s sexuality and gender-based violence.2. Delay in reaching an emergency care facility: Transportation may beunavailable or unaffordable or take <strong>to</strong>o long.3. Delay in receiving care from providers: Richer patients or males maybe seen first and facilities may lack staff, equipment or supplies. Inaddition, care may be unaffordable.Taking <strong>Action</strong> for Sustainable ChangeWomen Deliver has outlined a global action plan 31 for governments andthe international community <strong>to</strong> commit <strong>to</strong>:• Increase investment in maternal, newborn, and reproductive health,calling for an additional US $12 billion in 2010, increasing annually <strong>to</strong> anadditional US $20 billion in 2015.• Strengthen health systems <strong>to</strong> scale up health interventions and fillgaps—including 2.5 million health care professionals (midwives, nurses,doc<strong>to</strong>rs, and specialists) and managers.• Strengthen maternal, newborn, and reproductive health programsand institutions—ensuring that services and information areaccessible and delivered with respect for women—especially poor andmarginalized women and adolescents.• Develop moni<strong>to</strong>ring and accountability mechanisms and channels forcommunity engagement that address wider socioeconomic, political,and cultural barriers <strong>to</strong> care, and help improve policies and programs.Young leaders like you will make the difference when it comes <strong>to</strong> sharing keymessages, engaging communities, and persuading leaders <strong>to</strong> invest in women andgirls. Your commitment, energy, and the economic, social/cultural, political, andtechnological solutions you define are needed at every level.
Page 1 and 2: Youth Guid
Page 3 and 4: 1.Get Inspired2Get inspired by the
Page 10 and 11: 3. Get Connected9Delivering for wom
Page 12 and 13: 3. Get Connected11• Writing a blo
Page 14 and 15: 3. Get Connected13Two common types
Page 16 and 17: 3. Get Connected15When you find a b
Page 18 and 19: 3. Get Connected17information they
Page 20 and 21: 4. Get Moving19Build a Team1.What m
Page 22 and 23: 4. Get Moving21NEED SOME IDEAs for
Page 24 and 25: Appendix A: Glossary23Key Terms Rel
Page 26 and 27: Appendix B: Blogroll25Group Blogs

Youth Guide to Action on Maternal Health - Women Deliver

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?