Sub-Saharan Africa
What is the Cause of the High Maternal Mortality Rate in Sub-Saharan Africa?
The causes could total 50 or they could be only one, what are the primary causes of the high maternal mortality rate in sub-Saharan Africa? There are 4 major reasons why this impoverished region of the world grapples with such a challenge. First and foremost is the magnitude of poverty in the region. Secondly, the lack of maternal services available to the population both pre and post delivery. Thirdly, the lack education and use of the reproductive health resources. Lastly, the wide spread misconception of religion, prohibiting or forbidding the use of contraception. These are the issues the vast populations of women face in Sub-Saharan Africa on …show more content…
a daily basis.
Maternal health is a global issue, one of the primary topics in many global health and development discussions by a variety of organizations every year. Among the major organizations are the United Nations, UNICEF, and World Health Organization, there are also many others contributors. Funding for maternal health incentives come from countries all over the world all the way down to the average person and their personal donation. There is consensual belief that no simple solution will prevail in the intervention. It is widely viewed the most effective means to a solution is a multifaceted approach.
The principal causes of poverty in Sub Sahara Africa are drought, climate change, constant conflict, population, and ineffective economic system.
“In 2008, 47 percent of the population of sub-Saharan Africa lived on $1.25 a day or less” (MGD Group). Most families still have over 3 children per family on average. How can a family of five survive on $1.25 a day? Government officials impact poverty as well with poor leadership, overtaxing the farming industry and hording food supplies while trading or selling to purchase weapons. “Uganda and Nigeria are listed as two of the poorest countries in the world. In 2006 and the number of unemployed had risen by 35.3% in the previous ten years. But in reality because of the size of the agricultural and informal economies, significant numbers of un- and under-employed people are never counted. Furthermore, the working poor make up a significant portion of the population” (MGD …show more content…
Group).
Africa is one of the most exposed countries to climate change. Deforestation due to over population, lack of rainfall, extreme heat, and flooding in other regions are major contributors to the climate change in Sub Saharan Africa. The Nile River is the primary source of fresh water in Africa. The river is being depleted by the use of irrigation canals, the lack of rain fall and extreme heat in the region making farming, which most of the families rely on practically impossible
Sub Saharan Africa, as a whole, has the world’s highest maternal mortality ratio. In 2010, per 100,000 live births in women ages 15-49 there were over 600 deaths. Quality care during pregnancy is essential in the health of the mother and child. In Sub Saharan Africa, two thirds of the population, (69 per cent) has at least one contact with a health service of some type during pregnancy. Considering the risks of preeclampsia, tetanus, and preventive treatment for malaria and not to mention the identification and management of infections including HIV medical testing is necessary. Syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases are areas for concern as well. “The World Health Organization has recommended a minimum of four antenatal care visits to ensure the well-being of mothers and newborns” (MGD Group).
Another prevalent problem connected to after care is the risk of developing obstetric fistulas. Considering that” the problem is most concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa, where poverty and rudimentary health care combine with traditions of home birth and early pregnancy make women especially vulnerable. In Nigeria alone, 400,000 to 800,000 women suffer untreated fistulas” (LaFraniere).
“As contraceptive prevalence has increased, the unmet need for family planning, 25 percent of the population ages 15-49, report the desire to delay or avoid pregnancy but are not using any form of contraception (MGD Group).
This translates to more than 140 million women (married or in a union of some sort) that would like to employ the use of family planning but do not. “Many of the clinics in Sub-Saharan Africa offer long-term methods of contraception (intrauterine devices, implants and sterilization), usually used to limit child bearing altogether. Also offered widely are short-term methods (pills, condoms, spermicides, injectables, other modern methods and all traditional methods), better suited for women who want to delay but not forfeit having a child” (
Kristof).
With the ever widening gap between the rich and the poor, most women do not have the income or the resources to take advantage of clinics or midwives that are available. Low resource settings and lack of transportation to remote areas that provide the resources are the greatest challenge. It is widely implied that women of Sub Saharan Africa lack any formal education and are denied economic opportunities. Women are expected to do any agricultural work and household chores, yet do not have any control of the property or its management. Thus the “ability of women to control their own fertility is fundamental to women’s empowerment” (Campbell). Many women and young girls are also subjects of violence, either raped by members of warring factions or mutilated in cultural customs. Women gaining more control of their own existence; access to education, family planning materials and clarification of religious stigma, could make a major impact.
Africa’s religious heritage is primarily Christianity and Islam. Obviously, there are smatterings of cultural religions that still rely on the larger family concept, keeping “the village” viable. These different religious views on family planning is the question, both religions are very similar. In the Islamic religion, here is nothing that would condemn contraception; on the contrary, Muslim scholars investigated and developed birth control methods which were taken to Europe. Avicenna, a famous Muslim doctor, lists in one of his books 20 different substances that can be used to prevent pregnancy. Their reasoning why contraception is justified include preserving the quality of family, health, economics and even helping the woman preserve her good looks (Cline).
Women continue to have the misconception that Islam is opposed to contraception and there for do not utilize it to foster their rights to equality. This presents a number of serious obstacles still preventing them from enjoying the full benefits (Benagiano, Bastianelli and Farris).
Concerning Christianity, Protestantism is perhaps one of the most diffuse and decentralized religious traditions in the world. There is almost nothing that is not true of some denomination somewhere. Opposition to contraception is increasing in conservative evangelical circles that are, curiously, relying heavily on Catholicism. The vast majority of Protestant denominations, theologians and churches at least permit contraception and promote family planning as an important moral good (Cline).
The Protestant Church generally accepts and approves birth spacing through use of contraceptives. On the other hand, the Catholic Church views copulation as a means of procreation, thus forbidding the use of contraceptives and limiting the use of copulation to procreation. They are also concerned that contraception permits adultery.
The population rate has actually declined and there is evidence that some contraceptive measures are working. The impact of a reduced population would decrease demands on the environment. The massive amount of resources that are poured in to Africa should impact the average family’s struggle with poverty. Yet, the gap between the poor and rich only widens. 480,000,000 people in Sub Saharan Africa make 2 dollars a day, 350,000,000 make less than a dollar a day. This is quite alarming, how does this continue?
“Globally, the use of modern contraceptive methods and the desire for smaller families has been increasing. However, large disparities between the rich and the poor still exist in access to services, resulting in disproportionately high unmet need for the poor (Prata)”. Contraception in general has had a major impact on the lives of individual couples and women; it is a tool to achieve equality between the two sexes and allow family planning efforts to reduce the amount of unwanted pregnancy. In developing countries utilization of contraceptives went from 27 percent to percent to 40 percent. Education has made an impact. “Sub Saharan Africa therefore has a choice: follow the course of events and achieve the projected dramatic increase in population size, or provide services to help couples achieve their desired fertility aspirations thus reducing fertility more rapidly” (Prata).
The different warring factions continue to escalate attacks and displace families at an alarming rate. Governments must find an effective way to make peace a viable solution and work for the betterment of their people, in effect, enabling the distribution of the resources that these different aid organizations continue to send in an efficient manner. Targeted use of resources, increased efforts at education and greater access to family planning information and materials, can make a major impact on the maternal mortality rate the world continues to strive for.
The maternal mortality rate in Sub Saharan Africa can be reduced significantly with effort. However, the task is very daunting. The world cannot give up now.
Works Cited
Benagiano, Giuseppe, Carlo Bastianelli, and Manuela Farris. "Contraception: A Social Revolution." European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care 12.1 (2007): 3-12. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 Sept. 2013.
Campbell, Martha. "Why the Silence on Population." Population and Environment 28 (2007): 237-46. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Sept. 2013.
Cline, Austin. "Contraception, Birth Control, and World Religions: Religions on Birth Control." About.com. Ed. About Editorial Staff. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2013. .
Kristof, Nicholas. "The Birth Control Solution." New York Times 2 Nov. 2011: n. pag. nytimes.com. Web. 23 Sept. 2013. .
LaFraniere, Sharon. "Nightmare for African Women: Birthing Injury and Little Help." New York Times 28 Sept. 2005: n. pag. nytimes.com. Web. 23 Sept. 2013. .
MGD Group, MGD Group, comp. The Millennium Development Goals Report 2013. New York: United Nations Economic and Social Affairs, 2013. Print.
Prata, Ndola. "The Need for Family Planning." Population and Environment 28 (2007): 212-22. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Sept. 2013.
"World Population Prospects. Comprehensive Tables. Economic and Social Affairs." Comprehensive Tables. Economic and Social Affairs. Comp. United Nations. The 2007 revision, Vol. 1 ed. Vol. III. New York: United Nations, 2004. N. pag. Print.
The causes could total 50 or they could be only one, what are the primary causes of the high maternal mortality rate in sub-Saharan Africa? There are 4 major reasons why this impoverished region of the world grapples with such a challenge. First and foremost is the magnitude of poverty in the region. Secondly, the lack of maternal services available to the population both pre and post delivery. Thirdly, the lack education and use of the reproductive health resources. Lastly, the wide spread misconception of religion, prohibiting or forbidding the use of contraception. These are the issues the vast populations of women face in Sub-Saharan Africa on …show more content…
a daily basis.
Maternal health is a global issue, one of the primary topics in many global health and development discussions by a variety of organizations every year. Among the major organizations are the United Nations, UNICEF, and World Health Organization, there are also many others contributors. Funding for maternal health incentives come from countries all over the world all the way down to the average person and their personal donation. There is consensual belief that no simple solution will prevail in the intervention. It is widely viewed the most effective means to a solution is a multifaceted approach.
The principal causes of poverty in Sub Sahara Africa are drought, climate change, constant conflict, population, and ineffective economic system.
“In 2008, 47 percent of the population of sub-Saharan Africa lived on $1.25 a day or less” (MGD Group). Most families still have over 3 children per family on average. How can a family of five survive on $1.25 a day? Government officials impact poverty as well with poor leadership, overtaxing the farming industry and hording food supplies while trading or selling to purchase weapons. “Uganda and Nigeria are listed as two of the poorest countries in the world. In 2006 and the number of unemployed had risen by 35.3% in the previous ten years. But in reality because of the size of the agricultural and informal economies, significant numbers of un- and under-employed people are never counted. Furthermore, the working poor make up a significant portion of the population” (MGD …show more content…
Group).
Africa is one of the most exposed countries to climate change. Deforestation due to over population, lack of rainfall, extreme heat, and flooding in other regions are major contributors to the climate change in Sub Saharan Africa. The Nile River is the primary source of fresh water in Africa. The river is being depleted by the use of irrigation canals, the lack of rain fall and extreme heat in the region making farming, which most of the families rely on practically impossible
Sub Saharan Africa, as a whole, has the world’s highest maternal mortality ratio. In 2010, per 100,000 live births in women ages 15-49 there were over 600 deaths. Quality care during pregnancy is essential in the health of the mother and child. In Sub Saharan Africa, two thirds of the population, (69 per cent) has at least one contact with a health service of some type during pregnancy. Considering the risks of preeclampsia, tetanus, and preventive treatment for malaria and not to mention the identification and management of infections including HIV medical testing is necessary. Syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases are areas for concern as well. “The World Health Organization has recommended a minimum of four antenatal care visits to ensure the well-being of mothers and newborns” (MGD Group).
Another prevalent problem connected to after care is the risk of developing obstetric fistulas. Considering that” the problem is most concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa, where poverty and rudimentary health care combine with traditions of home birth and early pregnancy make women especially vulnerable. In Nigeria alone, 400,000 to 800,000 women suffer untreated fistulas” (LaFraniere).
“As contraceptive prevalence has increased, the unmet need for family planning, 25 percent of the population ages 15-49, report the desire to delay or avoid pregnancy but are not using any form of contraception (MGD Group).
This translates to more than 140 million women (married or in a union of some sort) that would like to employ the use of family planning but do not. “Many of the clinics in Sub-Saharan Africa offer long-term methods of contraception (intrauterine devices, implants and sterilization), usually used to limit child bearing altogether. Also offered widely are short-term methods (pills, condoms, spermicides, injectables, other modern methods and all traditional methods), better suited for women who want to delay but not forfeit having a child” (
Kristof).
With the ever widening gap between the rich and the poor, most women do not have the income or the resources to take advantage of clinics or midwives that are available. Low resource settings and lack of transportation to remote areas that provide the resources are the greatest challenge. It is widely implied that women of Sub Saharan Africa lack any formal education and are denied economic opportunities. Women are expected to do any agricultural work and household chores, yet do not have any control of the property or its management. Thus the “ability of women to control their own fertility is fundamental to women’s empowerment” (Campbell). Many women and young girls are also subjects of violence, either raped by members of warring factions or mutilated in cultural customs. Women gaining more control of their own existence; access to education, family planning materials and clarification of religious stigma, could make a major impact.
Africa’s religious heritage is primarily Christianity and Islam. Obviously, there are smatterings of cultural religions that still rely on the larger family concept, keeping “the village” viable. These different religious views on family planning is the question, both religions are very similar. In the Islamic religion, here is nothing that would condemn contraception; on the contrary, Muslim scholars investigated and developed birth control methods which were taken to Europe. Avicenna, a famous Muslim doctor, lists in one of his books 20 different substances that can be used to prevent pregnancy. Their reasoning why contraception is justified include preserving the quality of family, health, economics and even helping the woman preserve her good looks (Cline).
Women continue to have the misconception that Islam is opposed to contraception and there for do not utilize it to foster their rights to equality. This presents a number of serious obstacles still preventing them from enjoying the full benefits (Benagiano, Bastianelli and Farris).
Concerning Christianity, Protestantism is perhaps one of the most diffuse and decentralized religious traditions in the world. There is almost nothing that is not true of some denomination somewhere. Opposition to contraception is increasing in conservative evangelical circles that are, curiously, relying heavily on Catholicism. The vast majority of Protestant denominations, theologians and churches at least permit contraception and promote family planning as an important moral good (Cline).
The Protestant Church generally accepts and approves birth spacing through use of contraceptives. On the other hand, the Catholic Church views copulation as a means of procreation, thus forbidding the use of contraceptives and limiting the use of copulation to procreation. They are also concerned that contraception permits adultery.
The population rate has actually declined and there is evidence that some contraceptive measures are working. The impact of a reduced population would decrease demands on the environment. The massive amount of resources that are poured in to Africa should impact the average family’s struggle with poverty. Yet, the gap between the poor and rich only widens. 480,000,000 people in Sub Saharan Africa make 2 dollars a day, 350,000,000 make less than a dollar a day. This is quite alarming, how does this continue?
“Globally, the use of modern contraceptive methods and the desire for smaller families has been increasing. However, large disparities between the rich and the poor still exist in access to services, resulting in disproportionately high unmet need for the poor (Prata)”. Contraception in general has had a major impact on the lives of individual couples and women; it is a tool to achieve equality between the two sexes and allow family planning efforts to reduce the amount of unwanted pregnancy. In developing countries utilization of contraceptives went from 27 percent to percent to 40 percent. Education has made an impact. “Sub Saharan Africa therefore has a choice: follow the course of events and achieve the projected dramatic increase in population size, or provide services to help couples achieve their desired fertility aspirations thus reducing fertility more rapidly” (Prata).
The different warring factions continue to escalate attacks and displace families at an alarming rate. Governments must find an effective way to make peace a viable solution and work for the betterment of their people, in effect, enabling the distribution of the resources that these different aid organizations continue to send in an efficient manner. Targeted use of resources, increased efforts at education and greater access to family planning information and materials, can make a major impact on the maternal mortality rate the world continues to strive for.
The maternal mortality rate in Sub Saharan Africa can be reduced significantly with effort. However, the task is very daunting. The world cannot give up now.
Works Cited
Benagiano, Giuseppe, Carlo Bastianelli, and Manuela Farris. "Contraception: A Social Revolution." European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care 12.1 (2007): 3-12. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 Sept. 2013.
Campbell, Martha. "Why the Silence on Population." Population and Environment 28 (2007): 237-46. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Sept. 2013.
Cline, Austin. "Contraception, Birth Control, and World Religions: Religions on Birth Control." About.com. Ed. About Editorial Staff. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2013. .
Kristof, Nicholas. "The Birth Control Solution." New York Times 2 Nov. 2011: n. pag. nytimes.com. Web. 23 Sept. 2013. .
LaFraniere, Sharon. "Nightmare for African Women: Birthing Injury and Little Help." New York Times 28 Sept. 2005: n. pag. nytimes.com. Web. 23 Sept. 2013. .
MGD Group, MGD Group, comp. The Millennium Development Goals Report 2013. New York: United Nations Economic and Social Affairs, 2013. Print.
Prata, Ndola. "The Need for Family Planning." Population and Environment 28 (2007): 212-22. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Sept. 2013.
"World Population Prospects. Comprehensive Tables. Economic and Social Affairs." Comprehensive Tables. Economic and Social Affairs. Comp. United Nations. The 2007 revision, Vol. 1 ed. Vol. III. New York: United Nations, 2004. N. pag. Print.