Birth preparedness

Key thought: Nothing but the best possible preparations are adequate to welcome a new person to the world.

Brief: The fetus in a mother’s womb lives in a safe watery world. Every organ and system is working through the mother’s own complex system of life. The embryo has oxygen and food delivered through the umbilical cord, and has not yet begun to breathe its own fresh air or consume its own fresh nutrients. Even vital systems are different; the lungs have not yet begun working and the heart has several holes and pipes to allow for a different route of flow of blood.

In a few minutes of birth, there is an overhaul of changes. The newborn breathes its first breath of air, cries, stretches the limbs; the holes in the heart are sealed and blood flows through the lungs and rest of the body.

These first few moments of birth are critical both the newborn and the mother. Although birth is a physiological process, anything can go wrong. The mother’s connection of her womb through the placenta and umbilical cord may remain unsealed and lead to torrential bleeding. The child may not be able to effectively breathe its first few breaths. The million microbes waiting to pounce on exposed and vulnerable human surfaces may just enter the baby through the umbilical cord and the mother through her reproductive parts.

Nine months is a good time for waiting and preparation. While pregnancy registration and regular check-ups for the mother are necessary, the family waiting for the newborn also needs to have a concrete plan for the birth itself. The place of birth and the facilities there is going to be critical in the plan. Planning for simple things like arranging for the ambulance or a local transport (with the appropriate mobile numbers), adequate money, a person to accompany and even a change of clothes for the mother and a new set for the newborn are all important. To be best prepared one should also have a blood donor handy and a facility close-by identified where complications, if any, can be managed.

It is better to be safe than sorry. Birth preparedness is a simple exercise that has far-reaching implications for a safe birth and motherhood.

Points to ponder: Are all pregnancies high risk? Is a birth preparedness plan needed for all pregnancies?

Action: You could get an estimate of the number of pregnant women in your area who have a birth preparedness plan.

Resources:
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/maternal_perinatal_health/emergency_preparedness_antenatal_care.pdf
http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/Pnada619.pdf



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