Everyone should ensure safe motherhood

The famous song about mothers, written by lyricist Gauriprasanna Majumdar and sung by singer Hemanta Mukherjee, goes: “Pother klanti bhule sneho bhora kole tabo/ Mago, bolo kobe shital hobo?/Koto dur, ar koto dur? Bolo Ma” ("Forgetting the fatigue of the path, in your affectionate lap, Oh, Mother, tell me when will I find peace? How far, how much farther, tell me, Mother."). Despite the deep yearning and love for mothers expressed in this song, significant problems still persist in our country concerning maternal and neonatal mortality rates, even though they have decreased to some extent.

Even now, 33 percent of births in the country occur at home under the risky supervision of unskilled midwives. 61 percent of pregnant women do not receive antenatal care four times during their pregnancy. Only 49 percent of mothers are giving birth naturally, while 51 percent of mothers are delivering through cesarean sections. The mortality rates of newborns, infants under one year of age, and children under five years of age have increased. Therefore, the theme of this year's Safe Motherhood Day was, "Deliver in hospitals, save the lives of mothers and newborns."

On March 14, Razia Sultana (21), a football player who won the SAFF Championship, died after giving birth at home. Her death sparked renewed nationwide discussions about the high rate of home births, the lack of awareness among pregnant women and their families, the lack of government initiatives, and the negligence in receiving at least four antenatal care services. Many such incidents remain unknown to us. The lack of awareness due to these unknown incidents results in reduced consciousness about the issue.

In addition to the general lack of awareness among the public regarding home births, some mismanagement and infrastructural issues are also responsible. In remote areas, due to poor transportation systems, many mothers are unable to visit hospitals regularly to see doctors. During childbirth, they rely on local midwives. If any complications arise during delivery, these midwives are often unable to provide adequate assistance. This has historically led to the deaths of many mothers and infants in rural areas. Although the mortality rate has significantly decreased now, experts say it is still far from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to these targets, by 2030, maternal mortality must be reduced to below 70 per 100,000 live births. However, due to unsafe motherhood and childbirth practices, 136 mothers are still dying for every 100,000 live births in the country.

According to doctors, a pregnant woman should receive medical care at least four times during the antenatal period. However, pregnant women in rural areas lag behind those in urban areas in receiving this care. This is due to issues with awareness and transportation. Many feel reluctant to travel long distances to health complexes or hospitals by CNG-driven vehicles, auto-rickshaws, boats, or on foot. Sometimes, they also face inconveniences during their journey. Another issue is that many doctors in hospitals often advocate for unnecessary cesarean sections during childbirth. To avoid this, many opt for natural childbirth at home. In 2022, 41 percent of births in the country were through cesarean sections, which increased to 51 percent in 2023. On the other hand, in the past year, the rate of childbirth by unskilled midwives at home has decreased by 9 percent. This suggests that along with the reduction in home births attended by midwives, the number of cesarean sections is increasing. This is due to the adoption of unethical practices by some doctors.

In the interest of safe motherhood, it's crucial for mothers and their families, as well as government and non-governmental healthcare professionals, hospital authorities, and Directorate General of Health Services to become more vigilant. We don't want any mother to face untimely death or any child's life to be endangered due to negligence or wrong decisions.