Aklan: 58 mothers died per 100,000 live births

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

The province of Aklan ranked third with the highest maternal mortality among the six provinces in Region VI, latest report of the Department of Health (DOH) regional office showed. 

Aklan has an average of 58.48 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, lower than the average of 90 per 100,000 live births in Western Visayas.

Pregnancy and childbirth are among the leading causes for death, disease and disability in women of reproductive age in developing countries.

 Maternal deaths or mothers dying during child birth are caused by low or no pre-natal services before giving birth, hypertension disorders during pregnancy, lack or unavailable trained or skilled health workers in the area, post partum (after birth) hemorrhage or bleeding, medical complication and infection and delayed referral of pregnant mothers to the hospital.

DOH said the province of Negros Occidental showed the most number of these cases with 102.27; Antique accounting for 64.71 deaths; Capiz, 50.74; Iloilo, 44.17 and Guimaras, 41.79 maternal deaths.

But, among the cities, Iloilo City ranked first with 201.10 maternal deaths followed by Bacolod City, with 147.26.

The number of maternal deaths in 2013 went up to 82.74 percent rate in WV from 71.33 percent in 2012. 

Through the years, DOH continued to implement projects and programs to reduce maternal and infant mortality. Last March 2015, DOH recently launched an integrated health campaign dubbed High-Impact Five (Hi-5) which focuses on Maternal Health Care, Infant Care, Child Care, HIV/AIDS, and Service Delivery Network. The health strategy aims to produce the greatest improvement in health outcomes.