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Maternal mortality is a pressing issue in India, with the country accounting for a significant portion of global maternal deaths. According to the World Health Organization, India accounts for 17% of maternal deaths worldwide. The country's maternal mortality ratio (MMR) - the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births - has decreased over the years but still remains high at 174 deaths per 100,000 live births.
One of the main reasons for the high MMR in India is the lack of access to adequate healthcare for expectant mothers. Many women in rural areas do not have access to prenatal care or delivery services, and even when services are available, they may not be of good quality. Additionally, many women in India are unable to afford the cost of healthcare and may delay seeking care until it is too late.
Another major factor contributing to maternal mortality in India is mental health. It has been shown in many research worldwide that untreated mental health can lead to poor birth outcomes, including preeclampsia, hypertension, and anemia, all factors in maternal mortality. Many women in the country do not have access to screening or treatment for perinatal mental health in India.
Despite these challenges, there have been efforts to address maternal mortality in India. The government has implemented several programs aimed at increasing access to healthcare for pregnant women, including the Janani Suraksha Yojana, which provides cash incentives to women who deliver their babies in a healthcare facility. Additionally, there have been efforts to improve the quality of healthcare provided to pregnant women, through training programs for healthcare workers and the implementation of new technology.
However, there is still much work to be done in order to reduce maternal mortality in India. It is important that the government continues to invest in programs and infrastructure that will improve access to healthcare for women, and that efforts are made to educate women about their reproductive health. Additionally, it is important to address the epidemic of mental health issues, as this is a major contributor to maternal mortality in the country.
In conclusion, maternal mortality is a serious issue in India, with the country having one of the highest rates of maternal deaths in the world. The lack of access to proper healthcare, combined with the lack of access to proper mental health screening and treatment, are major contributing factors to this problem. However, there have been efforts to address maternal mortality in India and it's important that these efforts are continued and expanded upon in order to reduce maternal deaths in the country.
Providing maternal mental health care in India can be done in several ways (the ones in BOLD are already being tackled by Haplocare):
1. Increasing awareness and education about maternal mental health among healthcare professionals, expectant mothers, and families through community outreach programs and workshops.
2. Using Digital health solutions, such as Haplocare, to increase awareness of mental health early on, which is a high-risk factor for complications later on. 3. Establishing mental health clinics and hospitals specifically for expectant and new mothers, where they can receive therapy, counseling, and medication if needed. 4. Integrating maternal mental health screening into prenatal and postpartum healthcare visits. 5. Providing support groups and peer-led counseling for expectant and new mothers. 6. Developing tele-mental health services to reach remote and underserved communities. 7. Collaboration between government, NGOs, and private sector to create an ecosystem for maternal mental health support 8. Training community health workers, including traditional birth attendants and primary healthcare workers, to recognize and respond to maternal mental health issues. 9. Encouraging fathers and other family members to be more involved in maternal mental health care and support. 10. Generating more research on maternal mental health in India to understand the unique cultural and social factors that affect it. 11. Creating a comprehensive and sustainable national policy on maternal mental health to guide the development and implementation of maternal mental health service
It is our goal and our mission to reduce maternal mortality in India by reducing deaths due to suicide to achieve zero levels of maternal mortality.
Come join us on this journey.