Family Health - Maternal Health

Families will provide the best care for mothers and babies before and after delivery

Lesson Preparation

Before the lesson find:

1. Name and address of local health clinic that deals with maternal health and what they offer

Concepts to be Taught:

Concepts to be Taught

All women need more food and rest during pregnancy. To reduce the dangers of pregnancy and childbirth, all families should know the warning signs. The risks of childbirth can be drastically reduced by going to the nearest health worker for regular check-ups during pregnancy and having a trained person assist at the birth. The best possible food for babies is mother's breast milk.

Click on the magnifying glass of any image for enlargement.

Introduction:

Figure 1.

This lesson is about one of the very special occurrences that happen in families. We are talking about the time when a new baby arrives in the family (#1). The baby's arrival is often anticipated and celebrated in the family and neighborhood. The health of the baby and mother are highly connected. Women who are healthy and well-fed during their childhood and teenage years will have fewer problems in their pregnancies.

Concept #1:

All women need more food and rest during pregnancy.

The health of the baby starts with its development before birth. Therefore, care for the mother is also caring for the unborn baby.

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

Mothers need to eat the right kinds of food in proper quantities to be healthy. These foods include: fruit, vegetables, pulses, grains, milk, meat, fish, and eggs (#2). All these foods can be eaten during pregnancy and are important in providing energy, protection and body-building nutrients. Family members should take care that the mother gets the amount of food she needs.

A pregnant woman should not smoke, drink alcohol, or take narcotic drugs while she is pregnant (#3). Likewise, she should not take medications unless they are absolutely necessary and have been prescribed by a trained medical person. The problem is that nay of these substances that enter the mother's body will also enter the baby's body and can cause injury or death to the baby.

A pregnant woman needs good sleep at night and rest during the day if she is tired, especially in the three months before birth. She should also try to get some moderate exercise, for example, walking and also continue most of the activities she normally does.

Learning Activity #1: Review the recommendations for eating and resting for a pregnant woman.

Concept #2:

To reduce the dangers of pregnancy and childbirth, all families should know the warning signs.

With any pregnancy, an expectant mother should visit a health care worker and get advice on her particular situation. If the birth has a possibility of being risky, plans may need to be made to have the birth at the hospital and the woman may need to move closer to medical help. Certain signs indicate whether a woman may need special attention during the pregnancy. The signs to watch are (from UNICEF, Facts for Life, pg. 11-12):

Warning signs before pregnancy begins:

• An interval of less than 2 years since the last birth

• Mother-to-be is less than 18 or more than 35 years old

• Mother-to-be has 4 or more previous children

• Mother-to-be has had a previous baby weighing less than 2 kilograms at birth

• Mother-to-be has had a previous premature birth

• Mother-to-be has had a previous miscarriage, abortion, or still birth

• Mother-to-be weighs less than 38 kilograms before pregnancy

• Mother-to-be measures less than 145 cm in height

Figure 4.

Warning signs during pregnancy (#4):

• Failing to gain weight (at least 6 kilos should be gained in pregnancy)

• Paleness of inside eyelids (should be red or pink)

• Unusual swelling of legs, arms, or face

Four signs which mean get help immediately:

• Bleeding from the vagina during pregnancy

• Severe headaches (sign of high blood pressure)

• Severe vomiting

• High fever

Learning Activity #2: Review the warning signs before and during pregnancy. (If appropriate, discuss which may be problems for women in the family.) Be sure family knows the four signs where help is needed immediately.

Concept #3:

The risks of childbirth can be drastically reduced by going to the nearest health worker for regular check-ups during pregnancy and having a trained person assist at the birth.

Figure 5.

A health worker can help the mother-to-be by (#5):

• checking the progress of the pregnancy and the growth of the baby

• Checking for health problems including: anemia, tetanus, and malaria

• preparing the mother for the experience of childbirth and care of the newborn

Figure 6.

A trained person should be at every birth to (#6):

• keep the birth clean, cut the cord cleanly, and reduce possibility of infection

• advise if the labor has gone for too long (over 12 hors), and if too much blood has been lost

• help the baby if it is being born in the wrong position, or if it does not breathe immediately

• advise if additional medical help is needed

• help mother start breast-feeding and caring for the baby

Tell Story

Learning Activity #3:

Tell the story to review: Maria, married to Julio, was a woman in her early twenties and had already had two children, one who was a stillbirth and the other died shortly after it was born. Maria had never been to see a health care worker during her pregnancies and had not eaten well before that. What would you suggest to Maria so her next pregnancy might result in a healthy baby? (This is a good chance to review concepts 1-3).

Concept #4:

The best possible food for babies is mother's breast milk. (Note: This is covered in detail in Lesson 4.3 Feeding Babies. It is included here as an introduction or review.)

Figure 7.

Almost every woman will be able to breast-fed her baby (#7). Babies can start to feed soon after birth. For the first 4 to 6 months, breast milk alone is the best food and drink for babies. Mother's milk provides the nutrients a baby needs plus protection against common illnesses such as cold, coughs, and diarrhea. Breast-feeding with supplemental foods can continue into the second year of a child's life. Frequent sucking is usually all that is needed to produce enough milk for a child's needs.

Bottle feeding can be dangerous and expensive. There is a possibility of contamination with unclean water, improper mixing of the formula, and the burden of expense to the family.

Ask question

Learning Activity #4:

Review why Breast-feeding is important and when it should start.

List of figures for lesson 5.7

(Click on the numbered links below to view and print full-sized figures)

1. Having a new baby in a family is usually a happy time.

2. Women can prepare to have a baby bay taking care of themselves, eating properly (a variety of foods from the three food groups), and exercising.

3. Pregnant women should not smoke, drink alcohol, or take narcotic drugs.

4. Four warning signs during pregnancy:

• Bleeding

• Headaches

• Vomiting

• Fever

(Write out on picture)

5. Pregnant women should go to the health worker for check-ups.

6. A trained health person should attend the delivery.

7. Breast milk is the best food for babies.