pregnancy

Obstetrics

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Sita, a paramedic at the Poilarkandi Health Clinic, in Bangladesh performs an antenatal care check up on expectant mother Rohima. Rohima, 22, lives in Poilarkandi village and has come to the clinic for her first antenatal appointment at five months pregnant. Photo: CJ Clarke/Save the Children. Accessed at https://www.healthynewbornnetwork.org/blog/photo-of-the-week-ensuring-safer-pregnancies-with-antenatal-care/

Obstetrics in FOCUS

Every six minutes, approximately three women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth.

Almost all of these deaths (99%) occur in developing countries, and are considered preventable.

Complications from pregnancy and childbirth take a huge toll on the young and are the leading cause of death among teenage girls in developing countries. (World Health Organisation).

Why do women die?

The most common causes of maternal deaths are:

  • Postpartum haemorrhage
  • Infection
  • Eclampsia
  • Complications from delivery
  • Unsafe abortion

In most cases, these conditions can be prevented in the first instance by sex education and access to contraception, as well as consistent antenatal care and safe and sterile birthing conditions.

From antenatal care through to post-partum we have compiled the internet’s most interesting resources, to educate and inspire you to take action on maternal health.

Fact Sheets

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs348/en/

  

 

TED TALKS

 

Doula and journalist Miriam Zoila Pérez  explores how race and gender affect maternal and foetal outcomes and class and illness and informs us about a radically compassionate prenatal care program to reduce the stress experienced by pregnant women of colour.

 

 

https://www.ted.com/talks/zubaida_bai_a_simple_birth_kit_for_mothers_in_the_developing_world

Product developer Zubaida Bai talks about the development of a clean birth kit in a purse, a powerful tool to reduce the rates of post-partum infection in the developing world

 

Everyday Emergency: The Medicins San Frontieres (MSF) Podcast

Have you ever wondered what a day looks like for doctors who practice obstetrics in resource poor communities? In “Everyday Emergency” we hear from two doctors faced with extreme clinical challenges as they attempt to facilitate safe childbirth amidst extreme poverty and fatal disease outbreaks.

NB: These episodes are great for revision of step-by-step management of obstetric emergencies!

Disclaimer

This series can be pretty confronting and heart breaking at times. If you’re feeling a bit vulnerable or overwhelmed, put it on your list for another day.

S1 E1: The First 24 Hour Shift by Everyday Emergency

Dr Benjamin Black discusses his first 24-hour shift; where he found himself performing an emergency hysterectomy in the midst of an Ebola outbreak.

Hooked? You can read more from Dr Black on his blog “May the Forceps Be With You”

http://blogs.msf.org/en/staff/blogs/may-the-forceps-be-with-you/before-the-beginning

http://blogs.msf.org/en/staff/blogs/may-the-forceps-be-with-you/state-of-emergency-0

 

S1 E6: Precious Baby by Everyday Emergency

Dr Veronica Ades describes the precarious situation for expecting mothers in South Sudan, an area with some of the highest foetal and maternal mortality rates on earth.

“Does she just have incredibly bad luck in a setting with extremely poor access to obstetric care? Maybe the three previous stillbirths were unrelated. So many women here have stillbirths or neonatal deaths, and there is no consistent reason. Regardless, I have to do everything I can to ensure that this child survives.”

Careers

Have we got you interested in in a career as an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist? You can find out more about the training pathway here:

https://www.ranzcog.edu.au/Training/Specialist-Training

 

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