Family planning has been identified as a cost effective strategy that could prevent the deaths of over 358,000 women who die each year across the world from complications of pregnancy and childbirth, if effectively used.
A resident doctor in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, Dr. Olufunke Olamigoke, disclosed this during a media roundtable organised recently by the Development Communications Networks, with support from NURHI.
In her presentation, titled: ‘Family Planning; Cost Effective Strategy in Tackling Maternal Mortality’, Olamigoke, quoting the United Nations Economic Commissions for Africa 2013, said the 10 countries with the highest maternal mortality ratio were in Africa, with Nigeria having an alarming rate of 14 per cent of maternal deaths globally.
According to her, if not checked, the lifetime risk of maternal deaths indicates that one in 30 women in Nigeria will have a death related to pregnancy, or child bearing, going by statistics available.
Giving insight into the benefits of family planning, Olamigoke said: ”It reduces exposure to incidences of pregnancy, reduces vulnerability to abortion risks, Postponement of pregnancy during prematurity of pelvis development by delaying the first birth, as well as reducing the hazard of frailty from high parity pregnancies.”
On the way forward, she called for female education, targeted & sustained public health awareness campaigns, increased availability of family planning services and increased training for health care providers.
