DOH Maternal Health Program

DOH MATERNAL HEALTH PROGRAM

The Maternal Health Program is a set of actions and services administered by the Department of Health to aid women before, during and after pregnancy. The Philippines is tasked to reduce the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) by three quarters by 2015 to achieve its millennium development goal.

This means a MMR of 112/100,000 live births in 2010 and 80/100,000 live births by 2015.

Year Expected MMR

2010 112/100,000 live births

2015 80/100,000 live births

The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has declined from an estimated 209 per 100,000 live births in 1987-93 (NDHS 1993) to 172 in 1998. The Philippines found it hard to reduce mortality. Similarly, perinatal mortality reduction has been minimal. It went down by 11% in 10 years from 27.1 to 24 per thousand live births.

Year Actual MMR

1987-1993 209/100,000 live births

1998 172/100,000 live births

The percentage of pregnant woman with at least four prenatal visits decreased from 77% in 1998 to 70.4 in 2003. In addition, pregnant women who received at least two doses of tetanus toxoid also decreased from 38% in 1998 to 37.3% in 2003. Only about 76.8% of pregnant women received iron supplementation during pregnancy.

The Philippine Health Statistics revealed that maternal deaths are due to:

Complication Percentage of total maternal deaths

Hypertension 25%

Postpartum Hemorrhage 20.3%

Pregnancy with abortive outcomes 9%

However births attended by health professionals increased from 56% in 1998 to 59.8% in 2003. There was also a notable increase to 51% in 2003 from 43% in 1998 in the percentage of women with at least one prenatal visit. Only 44.6% of postpartum women received a dose of Vitamin A.

The underlying causes of maternal deaths are delays in taking critical actions:

delay in seeking care,

delay in making referral and

delay in providing of appropriate medical management.

Other factors that contribute to maternal deaths includes

closely spaced births,

frequent pregnancies,

poor detection and management of high-risk pregnancies,

poor access to health facilities brought about by geographic distance and

cost of transportation, and

as well as health care and health staff who lack competence in handling obstetrical emergencies.

The overall goal of the Maternal Health Program is to improve the survival, health and well being of mothers and unborn through a package of services all throughout the course of and before pregnancy.