By Gabriel Olawale

Obstetric and Gynecology expert, Dr Olufunke Olamigoke has called for improved access to skilled birth attendance at birth, emergency obstetrics care, effective family planning and reproductive health services as the most cost effective strategy in tackling maternal mortality.

Breastfeeding

Olufunke who spoke at a media round table organized by Development Communications Network, said the lifetime risk of maternal death indicates that one in 30 women in Nigeria will have a death related to pregnancy or child bearing.

“An estimated 358,000 women die each year throughout the world from complications of pregnancy and child birth. According to United Nations Economic Commissions for Africa, the 10 countries with the highest maternal mortality ratio are in Africa and an estimated 14 percent of maternal deaths globally occur in Nigeria.

“This can be prevented through targeted and sustained public health awareness campaigns, female education, increase availability of family planning services and training for health care providers.

Olufunke who identified obstetrics haemorrhage, unsafe abortion, obstructed Labour, postpartum infections, hypertensive disorders and anaemia as major causes of maternal mortality said that access to family planning can help to reduce the burden.

“Family planning helps in reducing exposure to incidence of pregnancy and vulnerability to abortion risk.

“Postponement of pregnancy during prematurity of pelvis development by delaying the first birth reducing the hazard of frailty from high parity pregnancies

“Family planning enable woman’s body has sufficient time to recover before another pregnancy.  Increasing antenatal care coverage and proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel. It improves economic well being of the family.