Women’s health in rural communities: It is high time we understand what complications are!

By Dr. Gauri Agarwal

The absence of healthcare awareness in India has always been concerning, especially regarding women. Social stigma, superstition and lack of education among more than 50% population in the country lead to terrible scenarios in women’s health. And do we need research, studies and statistics to contemplate what would happen if the birth giver is unsafe?

Maternal healthcare in rural communities is gradually changing with the help of government initiatives and public-private partnership led campaigns. Considering the population rise, these initiatives are not enough and we still face episodes of complicated mortality and morbidity among women and children.

To improve access to maternal health in rural communities, we first need to understand the barriers: social inequalities, misconceptions, staff shortages, lack of rural hospitals & obstetrics centres, insurance, transportation & connectivity issues, and poor physical & mental health.

Facts to remember

According to research, approximately 50% of maternal deaths (age 15-29 years) in rural India are due to pregnancy complications and childbirth. The whole concept of pregnancy and having a newborn is to be full of happiness and not scary. Another research has proved that the number of prior stillbirths was found to be more in deceased mothers. Our ignorant behaviour and lack of services are harming the future. ¹

Lack of services

The dearth of resources and skilled healthcare staff has been a major problem in remote locations. Super-speciality maternity hospitals are mainly located in urban areas and it is not always feasible to travel to these locations in complicated conditions. Even if it is feasible, the time has its limitations. Over the years doctors have witnessed many cases where mothers have either lost their lives or faced severe complications because of not reaching the hospital in time.

Unskilled birth attendants

The shortage of skilled birth attendants who are educated, qualified, and regulated at regional levels somehow contributes to many women dying during, before, and after childbirth. Mothers need complete prenatal to postpartum care which rural women find challenging. Family physicians, nurses, and community health workers provide maternal healthcare in these areas. The lack of staff makes it difficult for these people to give all patients adequate time.

Educating mothers

In spite of all the technological advances and hype about women’s empowerment, rural women among all have been considering themselves as a weaker sex even in the 21st century. They don’t seem to break the boundaries for educating & caring for the sake of their health. The mindset of accepting a situation has created a huge gap in receiving access to healthcare. Educating a mother about her health or at least breaking the barriers will solve a higher percentage of the taboo leading to severe health cases in women.

Conclusion

Women are an essential part of any society as they begin, shape and manage it. Enhancing their health status in every nook and corner of the country will automatically push the socioeconomic situation of the country to a more fantastic side. Issues like malnutrition have also been due to a lack of nutrition for the baby when in the womb. Imagine a country where a good part of the population is going through such issues. Can there be development? Women in rural areas are already not aware of and unable to break the social stigmas to get themselves educated about their physical and mental health. Creating paths to support the concept will help us have a better future!

(The author is a Founder and Director of Seeds of Innocence. The article is for informational purposes only. Please consult medical experts and health professionals before starting any therapy, medication and/or remedy. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)