CAMIGUIN (PIA)--In celebration of the International Women’s Month and strengthening the theme, ‘We Make Change Work for Women,’ Women’s Health Month was highlighted by the Camiguin Provincial Health Office through the Safe Motherhood Program of the Department of Health (DOH).

During the OK Doc program, March 9, the importance of women’s health, specifically of pregnant women was explained and attested by Dr. Gretchen Cabalang and Maternal, Newborn, Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) Coordinator, Conrado F. Odchigue.

The Safe Motherhood Program and its four pillars were discussed, encouraging mothers to keep in mind the instructions to be safe and healthy before, during, and after childbirth.  These four pillars are the basis of the state of a mother’s health: the antenatal care, facility-based delivery, skilled health professional assisted delivery, and postnatal check-ups.

“Kinahanglan before siya nabuntis, nabuntis na siya, ug after siya mabuntis, atong lantawon ang iyang kaayohan, ang iyang health o aspeto”, Odchigue said.

(It is necessary that a woman’s health be monitored before pregnancy, during, and after childbirth. It is important to monitor her safety, health, and well-being.)

Antenatal care, facility-based delivery
One of the challenges of the Safe Motherhood Program is to encourage mothers to take Antenatal Care, especially during the first trimester or the first 3 months of pregnancy where risks are most probable to take place.

It is important that during the first trimester, the child in the womb is already healthy. If complications are observed during the last term, it will be a dangerous state for both the mother and child.

Antenatal care is the first step insisted by health experts, which requires at least four doctor visits: at least one visit during the first trimestral or 3 months of pregnancy; at least one visit on the second trimestral or the fourth to sixth month; and at least 2 visits during the last term.

“Ang sa first trimester man gud, diha man gyud ang development sa fetus, sa bata. Plus, para ma-determine pud kung high risk ba ka. Kinahanglan sa first trimester, dili gyud undangan og pag-counsel sa ila,” Odchigue said.

(It is during the first trimester that a fetus develops. And this is when we determine the state of the health of a mother, whether she’s a high risk. It is necessary that in the first trimester, we don’t stop counseling them)

The Safe Motherhood Program also encourages facility-based delivery, either in barangay health stations, licensed lying-in clinics, rural health units, or hospitals. This is to make sure that the environment is clean, aseptic or free from infections to prevent cases of prenatal death in home deliveries.

Professional assisted delivery, postnatal check-ups
It is also important that childbearing be assisted by skilled birth attendants, most specifically the presence of a midwife, nurse, anddoctor.

For postnatal care, the mother and child’s first check-up would be 24 hours after delivery and the second visit would be 7 days after delivery.

Upon discharge, facility-based deliveries will refer births to the rural health unit (RHU), who will monitor the mother and child at their homes, together with barangay health workers or midwives, to follow up the child’s health and the physical, and emotional wellbeing of the mother.

This is to prevent postpartum blues or depression, which is inevitable after childbirth.

As cases of maternal death postpartum or deaths within 42 days after childbirth continue around the world, by enforcing and implementing the Safe Motherhood Program’s four pillars, it aims to prevent any cases in Camiguin.

“Ang usa ka-pagbuntis kay usa ka-delikado nga kahimtang sa panglawas sa usa ka inahan kay daghan panghitabo sa lawas. So importante gyud kaayo nga mabantayan gyud every step sa iyang pagbuntis kung kamusta na ang iyang lawas,” Cabalang said.

(Pregnancy is a very dangerous state of a mother’s health because changes occur in the body. So it’s important to monitor every step of her pregnancy, of how the state of her health is)

With the occurrence of COVID-19, pregnant women are encouraged to continue their prenatal care. High risk pregnancies are urged to proceed to hospitals, while pregnancies with no co-morbidity to their health centers. Health experts also remind pregnant women to keep with the minimum health standards of the island. (RLT/PIA-10/Camiguin)