Safe motherhood begins with excellent nutrition and a healthy lifestyle before conception. It continues with appropriate prenatal care and problem prevention if difficulties emerge. The ideal outcome is a full-term pregnancy with no unneeded interventions, a healthy baby, and a healthy postpartum period in a welcoming environment that takes care of the mother’s, baby’s, and family’s physical and emotional needs. Pregnancy and childbirth have a significant impact on women’s and their families’ physical, mental, emotional, and economical health. Pregnancy-related health outcomes are determined by the health of the mother as well as other factors such as race, ethnicity, age, and wealth.
Aims of the MCH Programme in India:
- With the aim of reducing mother, baby, and child mortality and morbidity.
- Reduce perinatal and neonatal mortality and morbidity.
- Encourage a satisfying and safe sexual life.
- Regulate fertility so that desired and healthy children can be born when planned.
- All mothers and children should get basic maternity and child health care. Mothers’ health should be promoted and protected.
- To encourage reproductive health.
- To support the physical and psychological health of family adolescents and newborns.
AGE: As maternal age increases, the incidence of pregnancy loss and the birth of infants with chromosomal abnormalities will increases. Most women are aware that advanced maternal age which is more than 35 years can have a negative impact on a pregnancy. Its also consider as a high-risk pregnancy and called as elderly Primigravida.
Other hand Advanced paternal age which is more than 45 years at conception has also a negative impact on foetal growth and development. People of advanced reproductive age want to know what might happen if they have a child using their genetic gametes.
The healthcare professional should provide education and counselling utilising incidence statistics for chromosomal defects related with advanced maternal age, as well as examine the characteristics of illnesses that may emerge as a result of paternal transmission of a spontaneous unique mutation due to advanced paternal age.
GENDER: In India Some communities do discrimination against male and female babies. If the mother has a male child, the family will devote more time and attention to the mother and child. In addition, if the mother has a girl baby, her family members will provide less care and attention to the baby’s mother and the girl child. As a result, gender affects mother and child health and it’s a major health concern.
SEXUALITY: Pregnant Women and her Partner may have sexual and intercourse concerns throughout pregnancy. Although there is no reason that healthy women should abstain from intercourse or orgasm throughout pregnancy, a few websites advise that women to stay away from coitus and orgasm in the last four weeks of pregnancy (from 32 weeks of gestation).
Intercourse or orgasm is not advised in the presence of a known placenta previa or ruptured membranes. Uterine contractions may result from nipple stimulation, vaginal penetration, or orgasm due to the production of prostaglandins and oxytocin. Women who are susceptible to preterm labour or who are considering abortion may choose to avoid intercourse. Sexual development is an important aspect of each person’s psychological identity, integrated sense of self, reproductive capacity, and ability to perform role functions in society.
PSYCHOLOGICAL: Almost every culture emphasises the need of providing a psychologically safe and pleasant environment for pregnant women. The presence of stress is very critical in assuring the health of mother and baby’s.
Peace with others must be promoted, and extended family members may be compelled to visit in order to exhibit pleasant and non-controversial connections. If there is discord in a relationship, it is usually handled in culturally prescribed ways.
Emotional anxiety, anxieties, worries, frustrations, broken homes, poverty, and other environmental variables can all contribute to mental illness. The psychosocial environment at home as well as at work is critical for health. Children who grow up in happy and healthy households are physically and intellectually well. Other elements influencing children’s health include community and social support systems.
SOCIOCULTURAL FACTOR: Culture and family must be evaluated together since the extended family, regardless of type, remains the basic unit of society and influences an individual’s development or life span. In these types of households, elders’ adults frequently play important roles in health and childcare, household maintenance, and decision-making. There are several caretakers available to assist with child raising and discipline.
All of the learning experiences of childhood are included in socialisation. Home remedies and traditional care practises for illness prevention, health maintenance, and therapeutic reasons continue to be primary sources for most families, regardless of ethnic or cultural background. The culture of a family influences communication patterns. Religious beliefs and practises are part of cultural and familial legacy, and they influence health-care behaviours.
LIFESTYLE PATTERN: A person’s lifestyle is directly related to their personality. It is nothing more than a way of life. A person who practises good daily living will remain healthy. People who live healthy lifestyles are far healthier than those who live unhealthy lifestyles. People’s lifestyles as a society, as well as their individual lifestyles, have a huge impact on life. Health is inextricably linked to one’s way of life, which includes one’s personal hygiene, habits, and behaviour. A healthy lifestyle promotes health, whereas a poor lifestyle harms health. Today, lifestyle is the most important controllable factor impacting health. Lifestyle refers to a person’s whole way of life, which includes living conditions and individual behavioural patterns influenced by sociocultural factors and personal qualities.
Lifestyle decisions can have an impact on one’s health, either positively or negatively. Risk factors are practises that may have a detrimental impact on one’s health. Overeating, insufficient exercise, and being overweight, are all linked to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. Tobacco usage is definitely linked to lung cancer, emphysema, and cardiovascular disease.
Reference:
- Park k. park’s textbook of social and preventive medicine, 19th edition. Jabalpur:M/S Banarsidas Bhanot Publishers, 2005.3.
- Jacob Annamma. Comprehensive textbook of midwifery and gynecological nursing,6th edition. Jaypee medical publishers, page no; 571- 5744.
- Dutta,D.C, Textbook of obstetrics, 9Th edn. New central Book Agency, Kolkata,2004.2.
- SUMAN | Surakshit Matritva Aashwashan [Internet]. [cited 2023 Sep 23]. Available from: https://suman.mohfw.gov.in/
- Anemia Mukt Bharat [Internet]. [cited 2023 Sep 23]. Available from: https://anemiamuktbharat.info/