According to a UNICEF report, India accounts for a quarter of maternal mortality and infant morbidity worldwide. Out of every 1000 infants, seven die ...
According to a UNICEF report,
India accounts for a quarter of maternal mortality and infant morbidity worldwide. Out of every 1000 infants, seven die immediately after birth or before one year of birth. Five out of 1000 mothers die due to childbirth complications or post-delivery issues. Pregnancy related issues are major health concerns among women of reproductive age.
Non-institutional delivery is the main reason behind maternal and infant mortality, especially in rural areas of India. Many people in rural regions do not resort to hospitalized delivery due to the cost involved in it or the age-old belief that home births are a safer option. Institutional birth can significantly decrease the rate of maternal and infant deaths help in maintaining their well-being.
Advantages of Institutional Delivery
* For a healthy pregnancy and delivery, antenatal care is of crucial importance. Trained nurses and doctors provide all antenatal services and medical care that an expectant mother needs.
* In a hospital, trained healthcare professionals render special and specific attention to mothers and newborn babies as per their health conditions. This lowers the risk of post-pregnancy complications thus, reducing maternal and infant mortality rate.
* Medical institutions are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and techniques to deal with premature birth or prolonged pregnancy.
* Trained healthcare staff assists mothers in post-pregnancy care. They provide ample support in breastfeeding, mother’s and baby’s nutrition, bathing the baby and taking care of the umbilical cord stump.
* Medical institutions provide hygienic conditions and surroundings that are crucial for safe delivery and healthy baby. Sterilized equipments are used in hospitals under the full guidance of nurses and gynaecologists.
* Immunisation chart of a newborn baby can be easily followed if the mother chooses institutional delivery. The newborn is checked on regular intervals to ascertain medical severity, if there is any. Adhering to the immunisation table prevents the baby from various health complications that may develop in later years.
* Institutional settings make the labour process easier and faster with the help of aids, such as intravenous (IV) drips and intramuscular injections during labour.
* Facilities, such as labour monitoring, active management of third stage of delivery, immediate care of the newborn, postpartum monitoring, immediate action to deal with post-delivery complications, etc are only possible in a healthcare institution.
* The high quality care of mother and her baby is the primary aim of institutional medical setting.
* Medical professionals at mother care centres are well trained and equipped to handle emergency circumstances that require immediate medical attention.
