'Poor nutrition causes maternal deaths'

'Poor nutrition causes maternal deaths'

PADANG, West Sumatra: Excessive blood loss during childbirth
remains a major cause of maternal deaths in West Sumatra due to
undernourishment, a leading physician said.

Gynecologist and obstetrician Mahjuddin Soeleman said on
Wednesday the situation resulted from the widespread lack of
nutritional knowledge among pregnant mothers and their lack of
money, which prevented them from receiving regular medical
examinations.

Official figures show that in addition to blood loss, which
this year accounted for 41.7 percent of maternal deaths, toxemia
and infection are also major causes of such deaths, each
constituting 25 percent.

Other ailments affecting the heart and liver, which expectant
mothers may have been suffering from before pregnancy, have also
become indirect causes of delivery deaths in the province.

"The high maternal and also infant mortality rate has been
hard to prevent because most patients are only willing to be
hospitalized once they are already in a serious condition,"
Mahjuddin added. --Antara