A call for safe motherhood

CEBU, Philippines - Motherhood is hard work, indeed. It is one of the most intricate vocations every fortunate woman has to pull off. Nine months of growing another real life inside one's own body is no easy thing - and giving birth requires incredible endurance, plus a sheer number of strange emotions that come in the process. It is said that motherhood is one of life's greatest miracles, and the task is just unimaginable!

It is a miracle that everyone owes his or her life to and is very grateful for. Just two Sundays ago, it was a common sighting for loved ones to come rummaging through flower shops for bouquets of roses, and at department stores for jewelry, dresses, home decor, gardening tools, and kitchen wares in time for the Mothers' Day. Others gave their moms the precious gift of their time.

But the Department of Health (DOH), for their part, did not just celebrate motherhood on one Sunday alone, even extending it to celebrate women in general. The DOH has allotted the entire month of May, which is also the Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, to mothers, sisters, wives and daughters who are all encouraged to avail of the free screening for cervical cancer, the second most common cancer afflicting women worldwide, which can be availed of at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center until the end of this month.

The point of the government health effort is for women to safely brace themselves for the biggest role in their lives - motherhood. Safe motherhood is a human right imperative, and that is the core of Presidential Proclamation No. 200, which marks every second week of May as Safe Motherhood Week. The Proclamation highlights the need to promote maternal health and nutrition, particularly among the "illiterate and disadvantaged women in the country's depressed and hinterland communities."

Every pregnant woman hopes to have an uncomplicated pregnancy and give birth to a healthy baby. However, according to www.factsforlifeglobal.org, about 1,500 women and adolescent girls die every day from problems related to pregnancy and childbirth, like hemorrhage, infection, high blood pressure, unsafe abortion, and obstructed labor. Most of these maternal deaths could have been prevented if only they had access to appropriate health care during pregnancy, childbirth, and immediately afterwards.

But experts say that healthy pregnancy begins long before the woman plans of motherhood. Safe motherhood means ensuring that the woman receives the care she needs in order to be safe and healthy throughout pregnancy and childbirth. Though nothing can fully prepare a woman for this challenge, it would still be wise to consider in advance how one's life will change and how to live such new phase. The website www.babycentre.co.uk shares key ideas for staying safe during pregnancy:

1. See a doctor or midwife as soon as possible.  As soon as pregnancy is discovered, get in touch with a medical practitioner or a midwife to organize the antenatal care. Availing of care in the earliest period means getting good advice for a healthy pregnancy right from the start.

2. Eat well. Apparently, a pregnant woman does not need to eat for two. Just aim to eat a healthy, balanced diet whenever and wherever. Try to have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Also take plenty of carbohydrates, such as bread, pasta and rice. Daily servings of protein, such as fish, lean meat, eggs, nuts, and some milk and dairy foods also help. Pregnancy vitamin supplements help, as well.

3. Be careful about food hygiene. Take note of certain foods that are not safe to eat in pregnancy. Certain foods can pose a health risk for the baby. It is advisable to ask the doctor about it.

4. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise can build strength and endurance. This may help the pregnant woman to better cope with the extra burden of pregnancy and the eventual labor. Exercise boosts the spirit and even wards off depression. Good exercise choices for pregnancy include brisk walking, swimming, aquanatal classes, yoga, and pilates.

5. Cut out alcohol, caffeine; quit smoking. As with alcohol, one may prefer to cut out caffeine altogether, particularly in the first trimester. It's better to cut them out completely while expecting a baby. Smoking during pregnancy can also cause serious health problem like miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight, and is also associated with the loss of a baby at birth.

6. Get some rest. The fatigue felt in the first few months is due to high levels of pregnancy hormones circulating in the woman's body. It's also the body's way of telling the pregnant woman to slow down. If getting sleep at night is a problem, try to take a quick nap in the middle of the day to catch up. If that's impossible, at least put your feet up and try to relax for 30 minutes. Exercise may also give some relief to sleep problems and from backache, too.

The Safe Motherhood Week is a reminder not only for families to look after the newborns but also a call for mothers to look after themselves. Pregnancy is an ideal time for the woman to start taking really good care of herself, both physically and emotionally, especially that another life now depends on her. (FREEMAN)