Part I: The topic I will be discussing is the high number of maternal mortality rates in Yemen. Currently there’s a ratio of 200 maternal deaths to 100,000 births (Lindsay 2015). Most women die during or after delivery due complications from bleeding, infection, or age. In regard to age, children are married off and give birth much before their bodies are ready (Lindsay 2015). In addition, the birth rate in rural areas is much higher than in urban areas and women don’t have access to health centers, physicians or midwives, and transportation to them (Serouri, et al 2012). So, most women end up giving home births and risk many complications at home, without the proper knowledge or help. Furthermore, women in rural areas have less money than those in urban and can’t pay for the proper healthcare (Penney 2011). The government is struggling as well to help make sure everyone has adequate prenatal care and birthing services. This caused a rise in private hospitals, however since no one was watching them they became low-quality and did not satisfy the patients (International Journal for Quality in Health Care 2010). To make matters worse, the war raging in Yemen has further caused a decline in these services. Women giving birth at home can’t afford a midwife or transportation to a hospital. Approximately, 274 hospitals have been destroyed and only 37 percent of the half of hospitals left provide the proper services for births and antenatal care (Ansbro 2017). Finally, health care workers aren’t getting paid anymore and rely on NGOs for salary (Ansbro 2017).
Part II: The issue of high maternal mortality rates is extremely important from both a cultural standpoint and a public health standpoint. From a cultural standpoint it is critical that this problem gets more attention because this is one of the most important events in a family’s life, especially the women’s, and it needs to be treated as such. If this were happening to men, there would be way more focus on this issue. It is another example of where the leadership’s priorities lay, which are not with the women. Likewise, since the women are being married off, the least the government and men could do is be prepared for the child. If Yemen really wants to start to improve their healthcare and current situation, they need to focus on this generation and problem. On the other hand, from a public health standpoint it is very important that this issue is given attention because child birth is how a population grows and thrives. If a country can’t maintain childbirth and mothers are dying, then the age of the population increases, and the country will start to age. For the longevity of their status this is a bad idea. It is also extremely valid that they provide adequate health care for women and babies since they are so vulnerable during this time period. Furthermore, if we focused more on this issue, they could help educate mothers who can’t afford all of these health services and prevent less deaths, while they come up with a more long-term solution. So, it is evident from both standpoints that high rates of maternal mortality need to be taken far more seriously.
1. Penney, Debra. “Meeting Women’s Health Needs In Yemen: A Midwifery Perspective.” 26 Jan. 2011, onlinelibrary-wiley-com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/doi/10.1016/S1526-9523%2899%2900005-7.
2. Lindsay, Aimee. “YEMEN: Humanitarian Crisis Indicates Rise in Maternal Mortality.” Mothers Monument, 2 Mar. 2015, mothersmonument.org/2015/03/02/yemen-maternal-mortality/.
3. Serouri, Abdul, et al. “Findings from a Needs Assessment of Public Sector Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care in Four Governorates in Yemen: a Human Resources Crisis.” 13 Dec. 2012.
4. Anbori, Ali, and Et al. “Patient Satisfaction and Loyalty to the Private Hospitals in Sana’a, Yemen .” 12 June 2010, academic.oup.com/intqhc/article/22/4/310/1841800.
5. Ansbro, Odharnait. “Raging Civil War Makes Giving Birth Harder Than Ever for Yemen’s Women.” 4 Sept. 2017.