Themed Family Planning; Cost Effective Strategy in Tackling
Maternal Mortality, Agunloye
Oyebola delivered a paper titled ‘The Nigerian Population and Maternal
Mortality/Maternal Health.
Employing
the help of statistics Oyebola stated that the current population of Nigeria is
within the region of 196 Million and 200 Million and that Nigeria’s population
is equivalent to 2.57% of the total world population, making Nigeria number 7
in the list of most populous countries in the world. He added that 51.0 % of
the population is urban (49.0% in rural settlements). He added that the median
age in Nigeria is 17.9 years.
In his paper
Oyebola also stated that the United Nations made projection that the overall
population of Nigeria will reach about 398 million by the end of the year 2050.
“If current
figures continue, the population of Nigeria will be over 746 million. Nigeria
is also estimated to surpass the population of the United States of America to
become the 3rd most populous country by 2050 based on current
projections/trends.”
He disclosed
some of the factors that bring about growth in population to include Religion.
“Religions like Islam encourage large families, polygamous system and early marriage.
Christianity is mostly anti-abortion and prohibits some forms of contraceptives.
The lack of education especially as related to population education, sex
education and the lowering of infant mortality and birth rates; In many cultures in Nigeria, male offspring are more highly valued
than females for a variety of reasons (like carrying on the family name,
greater; upper-body strength for physical labor), which leads to the common
practice of continuous child birth in an attempt to have male children.”
The expert
talked on the Link between population and maternal mortality saying about 40%
of all pregnancies in developing countries are unintended. “When these
pregnancies result in births, they contribute to higher fertility rates and
thus unnecessary population increase. Currently Nigeria’s fertility rate stands
at 5.5% (average of 6 children per woman)
“This increases
the woman’s chances of maternal complications/mortality. The number of
pregnancy related deaths and the overall risk of maternal mortality would
decline if fertility decreased among adolescents and young women”
Lead Speaker
Dr. Olufunke Olamigoke of Lagos Island Maternity Hospital delivering a paper on
“Family Planning: Cost Effective Intervention in Tackling Maternal Death” said Maternal
mortality is a major public health issue especially in developing countries,
adding that Maternal mortality is the death of a woman while pregnant or within
42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the
pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its
management but not from incidental or accidental causes.”
She
disclosed that an estimated 358,000 women die each year throughout the world
from complications of pregnancy and child birth. She added that the 10 countries
with the highest Maternal mortality ratio are in Africa and an estimated 14% of
maternal deaths globally occur in Nigeria (United Nations Economic Commissions for
Africa, 2013).
Quoting 2013
NDHS, she said the maternal mortality ratio was 576 per 100,000 live births for
the seven year period preceding the survey, adding that the lifetime risk of
maternal death indicates that 1 in 30 women in Nigeria will have a death related
to Family Planning.
Olamigoke
mentioned some of the causes of Maternal Mortality to include Obstetrics
Haemorrhage; Hypertensive Disorders; Unsafe Abortion; Obstructed Labour;
Postpartum Infections; Anaemia; and others such as Malaria, HIV and Diabetes.
She said Risk
of maternal death increase if a woman is either too old, too young or has many
children or closely spaced children
She
mentioned the Role of Family Planning in reducing Maternal Mortality which
include “ensuring a woman’s body has sufficient time to recover before another
pregnancy. Increasing antenatal care coverage, increasing proportion of births
attended by skilled Health Personnel, preserving healthy status, and improving
economic well-being of the family”
She stated
that part of the reasons the public is no accessing Family Planning include claim of Side
effects; Low female literacy rates; Socio-Cultural values; Lack of Spousal or
Partner approval; Inaccessibility of health services; Health workers’ attitude
She then
said the way forward should include Female education; Targeted and sustained
Public Health awareness campaigns; Increased availability of Family Planning
Services; increased training for health care providers.
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