Research Into Maternal Health Indicators Launched In Nigeria

The National Centre for Women Development has commissioned a research into maternal health indicators in Nigeria.

The Director General of the Centre, Ms Onyeka Onwenu, expressed optimism that the initiative would tackle the reproductive rights challenges of women and girls.

Ms Onwenu said the study was also critical to the actualisation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period requires adequate attention, but Nigeria has continued to record cases of maternal deaths during childbirth.

The research will consider the health care dimensions of family planning, preconception, prenatal, and postnatal care in order to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.

The United Nations Population Fund estimated that 289,000 women died of pregnancy or childbirth related causes in 2013.

These causes range from severe bleeding to obstructed labour, all of which have highly effective interventions.

As women have gained access to family planning and skilled birth attendance with backup emergency obstetric care, the global maternal mortality ratio has fallen from 380 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 210 deals per 100,000 live births in 2013.

This has resulted in many countries halving their maternal death rates.