Maternal Health Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period. Each stage should be a positive experience, ensuring women and their babies reach their full potential for health and well-being. Most maternal deaths are preventable with timely management by a skilled health professional working in a supportive environment....
The Burden of Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) Several efforts have been made to improve the Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) situation but gaps still exist for improvement and mortality declines in recent decades of maternal and under five mortality rates in the ECOWAS lag behind global as well...
Key information on Adolescents in West and Central Africa In West and Central Africa, Adolescents constitute 23 per cent of the population in 2018, which is the highest proportion of any region. As they transition from childhood to adulthood, adolescents acquire the physical, cognitive, emotional, social and economic resources that serve as the...
The way forward in managing mistreatment during childbirth A complex range of systemic challenges at both the health facility and health system levels contribute to the mistreatment of women, including poor supervisory structures, insufficient staffing, inadequate supply chains, poor physical conditions, and power dynamics that systematically disempower women. What can be done: Health systems...
The impact of mistreatment during childbirth Mistreatment during childbirth may have both direct and indirect impacts on the woman and her baby. For example, a WHO qualitative study in Nigeria found that women and healthcare providers justified slapping a woman while she was in labour if it was done to encourage the woman to push....
Useful Things to Know about Pregnancy Pregnancy Related Information for Pregnant Woman & Spouses A pregnant woman has a higher chance of snoring when she sleeps. Studies have shown that pregnancy hormones can cause the membranes in a pregnant woman’s nose to soften and swell. Pregnant women should stop wearing underwear bras as they can...
Dealing with Adolescent pregnancies Adolescent pregnancies are a global problem occurring in high, middle-and low-income countries. Around the world, however, adolescent pregnancies are more likely to occur in marginalized communities, commonly driven by poverty and lack of education and employment opportunities. Several factors contribute to adolescent pregnancies and births. In many societies, girls are under...
Cultural and social factors for performing female genital mutilation (FGM) The reasons why female genital mutilations are performed vary from one region to another and include a mix of sociocultural factors within families and communities. The most commonly cited reasons are: • Where FGM is a social convention (social norm), the social pressure to conform...
How sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are spread STIs are spread predominantly by sexual contact, including vaginal, anal and oral sex Some STIs can also be spread through non-sexual means such as via blood or blood products Many STIs including syphilis, hepatitis B, HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes, and HPV can also be transmitted from mother to...
Prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Counselling and behavioural interventions offer primary prevention against STIs (including HIV), as well as against unintended pregnancies. These include: • comprehensive sexuality education, STI and HIV pre- and post-test counselling; • safer sex/risk-reduction counselling, condom promotion; • STI interventions targeted to key populations, such as sex workers, men who...
