MEXICO CITY (EFE).— Preeclampsia and hemorrhage are the main causes of maternal mortality in Mexico, a public health problem that requires priority attention and action, specialists warned.
Alejandro Posadas, a gynecologist and obstetrician and maternal medicine specialist, said that on average every three minutes in the world a woman dies from a complication related to pregnancy.
In Mexico, he added, there are 25 deaths for every 100,000 births and, although a slight decrease has been observed, the figures are still worrying.
She explained that maternal death is the death of a woman during her pregnancy, which spans from conception to the postpartum period, that is, the 40 days following delivery.
Hemorrhages are one of the main causes of maternal death in the world. “Worldwide, there are 12 million bleeding episodes that cause the death of 270,000 women every year,” the expert explained.
There is another term related to maternal mortality that refers to the after-effects that women experience when they overcome complications during pregnancy. “It is called extreme maternal morbidity, which refers to the patient who has complications but did not die,” said Dr. Martínez.
For every maternal death, there are 30 women with extreme maternal morbidity. This condition, she added, can cause brain damage, irreversible kidney damage and necrosis of brain structures, among other problems.
Experts stressed that pregnant women and people who are expecting should consult a doctor if they experience one or more warning signs.
These signs include severe headache that does not go away with rest or that gets worse over time, dizziness, fainting and seizures, blurred vision, ringing in the ears and/or body temperature equal to or greater than 38 degrees.
Other symptoms include extreme swelling of the hands, feet, or face; difficulty breathing; chest pain or rapid heartbeat; severe nausea and vomiting; severe abdominal pain or frequent contractions; lack of fetal movement; vaginal bleeding or fluid leakage; extreme tiredness and unexplained anxiety, distress, or sadness.
The specialists highlighted the importance of strengthening preventive strategies and promoting equitable access to effective therapies and quality maternal health services.
In the case of preeclampsia, they said, it is important to be aware of the risk factors, which are maternal age, illnesses prior to pregnancy, obesity and overweight, and the number of pregnancies.
Regarding hemorrhage, Posadas noted the importance of equitable access to maternal health services, including prenatal care, postpartum care, and emergency obstetric services.
In addition to access to medications such as labetalol and tranexamic acid that can save the patient’s life.
#Maternal #mortality #high
2024-07-28 05:37:07
