Maternal Health Issues

Maternal health is defined as the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.(“WHO | Maternal health,” 2016) It is used as an indicator for evaluating the quality of health care systems and is assessed using estimates of maternal mortality and morbidity rates. Maternal health is a significant aspect of the health of populations and the repeated emphasis placed on this health issue by global institutions and local governments over the years, reiterates its importance. Maternal health was a central component of the Millennium Development Goals; and the twenty five years which followed the adoption of these goals were characterized by tremendous efforts geared towards improving maternal health worldwide.(Alkema et …show more content…
(Alkema et al., 2015) Despite these challenges, the Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter- Agency Group (MMEIG) has been able to generate internationally comparable estimates. This group is made up of the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Population Fund, the World Bank Group and the United Nations Population Division (UNDP). Some key findings from their report for the 1990 – 2015 period are as follows: the maternal mortality rate (MMR) has decreased by 44% globally (from 385 in 1990 to 216 maternal deaths per 100000 live births in 2015) ; annual maternal deaths have decreased by 43% ; 99% of global maternal deaths occur in developing regions, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia; the decline in estimated mortality rates is not equal across the world ; in 2015 the two regions with the highest MMR were Oceania and Sub-Saharan Africa. (WHO; UNICEF; UNFPA; WORLD BANK GROUP; United Nations Population Division, 2015) These findings lead to the conclusion that despite the improvements in maternal health, a substantial amount of work is still required in developing countries. Furthermore, the MMEIG’s 2015 report also …show more content…
Under the third Sustainable Development Goal, the UN member states have restated their commitment to improving maternal health. However, in the advent of the current refugee and migrant crisis, issues arise regarding maternal health in this subpopulation. The target improvements in maternal health cannot be achieved if the maternal health of refugees and migrant women is neglected. Relocation of these women to areas with usually low mortality rates (developed countries) might cover up the adverse maternal health outcomes they are exposed to, due to disparities in access to health care. Hence particular attention should be placed on ensuring that the healthcare systems of receiving countries can respond adequately to the needs of refugees and migrant women. Countries such as Canada which already have high migrant representations in the total population can lead by example and initiate the necessary