Importance of Maternal Health Care

Importance of Maternal Health Care Maternal health and mental health Motherhood is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding periods in the life of a woman. Yet it is also a period of enormous change in the woman’s body, relationships and work. For example, relationships with other children and the father may be affected. The workload may increase considerably with a new baby. These changes can affect emotions. Mental health issues are important in two specific maternal health situations.
• Depression after childbirth. Women are vulnerable to depression during the period immediately after childbirth. An unhappy marriage, domestic violence, problems with breast-feeding, death or sickness of the newborn baby and, in some communities, the birth of a girl are all known to make depression more likely. On the other hand, a planned pregnancy and support from close family members protect mothers from
postnatal depression. Postnatal depression can last up to 12 months. The babies may suffer from neglect and their growth and development may be affected.
• Abortion and pregnancy loss. Losing a pregnancy due to abortion or miscarriage can lead to depression. The woman may feel guilty about having had an abortion. There may be a loss of self-esteem resulting from the woman’s inability to rely on her body and give birth. Feelings of loss, sadness, emptiness, anger, inadequacy, blame and jealousy are feelings sometimes
experienced after the loss of a pregnancy.
Health workers in maternal health settings, such as midwives and antenatal clinic staff, can play an important role in preventing depression associated with pregnancy loss and childbirth.
Counselling may be given especially to those women at particular risk of becoming depressed, for example those whose babies have died or who have miscarried, whose marriages are unhappy and who have little support from other family members. The focus of counselling is twofold:
• to empower the mother to cope with the pregnancy loss or with caring for her newborn baby, by giving advice on breast-feeding and baby care, and advising her of the need for adequate rest and nutrition (for the mother) and the benefit of sharing her feelings with close relatives;
• to inform both parents together about the need for shared responsibilities in parenting, which is especially important in those communities where men do not traditionally contribute to
parenting, seeing this as a woman’s job. Fathers need education that parenting is not only a shared responsibility, but a joyful experience as well.
Sometimes the counselling may be extended to other members of the family, especially where there is a joint family system. Encourage senior members to help the mother by reducing her
workload, and educate those who have negative views about having a baby girl. Finally, you must encourage all couples to discuss and plan pregnancies. Planned pregnancies help to ensure better maternal physical and mental health.