Lecture 1- Maternal and infant public health Flashcards
broad overview of the three domains of public health
Health protection
Ensuring that the risks to health from communicable diseases and/or environmental hazards are minimised.
Health improvement
Preventing ill health and promoting wellbeing by commissioning and providing services that fit with the needs of our population
Healthcare public health
Making sure we have the right health services in place for the population and that these are effective and accessible to all those who need them
the birth experience
Maternal health is the
health of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. It encompasses the health care dimensions of
- family planning,
- pre-conception,
- prenatal and
- postnatal care
in order to ensure a positive and fulfilling experience in most cases and reduce maternal morbidity and mortality in other cases. (WHO, Maternal Health)
UNFPA definition‘Good sexual and reproductive health is a state of complete
physical, mental and social well-being in all matters relating to the reproductive system. It implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life, the capability to reproduce, and the freedom to decide if, when, and how often to do so.’
having a baby is an excellent health promotion opportunity
- Many opportunities to screen for health conditions
How do we measure maternal health?
- maternal mortality ratio
- proportion of births attebnded by skilled health personnel
- contraceptive prevalence rate
- adolescent birth rat
- antenatal care coverage
- unmet need for family planning
how long does pregnnacy last
- Pregnancy 280 days/40 weeks (term +- 2 weeks)
trimesters of pregnancy
- 3 trimesters
- First (12 weeks)
- Second (12)
- Third (12)
First trimester
- Pregnancy starts at fertilisation when sperm meets egg
- Embryo implants in the uterus
- Starting of formation of embryo and placenta
- V vulnerable to teratogens at this time
Second trimester
Foetus is growing with a placenta
Third trimester
Baby ready to be born
Labour and birth
- Labour can be spontaneous or induced
- Delivery can be vaginal (normal delivery) or Caesarean section
Postnatal period
6 weeks after delivery
Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) calculated by
maternal mortality ratio (MMR) represents
- Represents the risk associated with each pregnancy (i.e. the risk of dying once pregnancy*
- Worse in lower income countries