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Giving birth in a health facility is the best strategy for reducing
maternal mortality
Authors: O. M. Campbell; W. J. Graham
Publisher: The Lancet, 2006
This Lancet paper is the second in a series of articles on maternal
survival. It examines different strategies to reduce maternal mortality. These
include single interventions close to a life-threatening complication and
preventative measures. The paper finds that whilst there are numerous
interventions for maternal health, few have maternal mortality as an outcome.
It also shows that no interventions alone can reduce the rate of maternal
mortality in a population. Interventions are therefore best given together in
varying combinations or packages. These packages in turn reach the target group
of women through various means of distribution.
The paper concludes that implementation of an effective care strategy during
the birth period is an overwhelming priority if the fifth Millennium
Development Goal, to reduce maternal mortality by 75 per cent by 2015, is to be
achieved. A health centre care strategy during the birth period can be
justified as the best way to bring down rates of maternal mortality. This is
where women deliver in a health centre, with midwives as the main providers,
but with other attendants working with them in a team. Other opportunities to
alter the risks of maternal deaths include antenatal care, postpartum care,
family planning and safe abortion.
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