Late treatment main culprit in maternal mortality

JAKARTA (JP): Late medical treatment is one of the main reasons for Indonesia's high maternal mortality rate, a gynecologist said Monday.

Siti Dhyanti Wishnuwardhani, a lecturer at the University of Indonesia's School of Medicine, said most mothers-to-be were late in consulting their doctors on pregnancy irregularities.

"They often miss regular checkups so they don't know when their conditions contain risks," she said.

Siti also heads the obstetric and gynecology division at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital.

Women also delay in seeking help, she said. "Once they decide to go the hospital they often have trouble in seeking transportation. This is another problem," she said.

Siti was a speaker at a one-day workshop on the "Love Motherhood" national program.

The program, to be launched by President Soeharto on Women's Day on Dec. 22, is aimed at reducing maternal mortality rates and improving women's welfare.

Another speaker, psychologist Ninuk Widyantoro, criticized health policymakers which she said underestimate women, for instance in family planning.

Ninuk is also a family planning campaigner for the National Family Planning Board. She said her trips to rural areas enriched her with various precious experiences.

Medical workers usually thought women were helpless, did not dare ask questions and were unable to make decisions, Ninuk said, revealing parts of her field experience.

She said she was told by officials not to give complete information on contraception methods so as to prevent confusion.

"Don't give complete information, Ibu Ninuk, or the women will get confused or even refuse to participate in family planning," Ninuk said, quoting an official.

"If the condition doesn't change," Ninuk said, "It will be difficult to lower the maternal mortality rate ... because women are not provided with adequate and accurate information -- a weapon which enables them to avoid sickness, or even death."

According to gynecologist Siti, maternal mortality rates at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital were last recorded at 542 per 100,000 births in 1994. In comparison the national rate was 390 per 100,000 births.

Cipto Mangunkusumo is a referral hospital.

"This proves high maternal mortality does not only occur in remote areas, which lack medical personnel and facilities," she said.

The one-day workshop was opened Monday by Abdullah Cholil, first assistant to the state minister of women's roles. The state minister's office, the Ford Foundation, Cipto Mangunkusumo and the University of Indonesia jointly organized the workshop.

At the event, Abdullah inaugurated "Hotline Sayang Ibu" at Cipto Mangunkusumo for consultation on women's health problems. The hotline's numbers are 3901133 and 3901177.

Ninuk cited examples which she said shows women want more information on their health.

In Cilandak, South Jakarta, she said poor women crowded a health center where a young midwife practiced. The women said the midwife was patient and willing to answer their questions, compared to doctors in the area.

It is about time similar concerns led to serious cooperation between various institutions and professions relating to women's health, Ninuk said. (ste)