Researchers said that there is a need for greater attention and treatment to the long–term health challenges of women and girls beyond pregnancy in a specific series on global maternal health. This research was done by Lacent study. This research says that women globally suffer long-lasting health problems after childbirth, saying the conditions are often “ignored”. Research reveals that over a third of women face ongoing health challenges in the postpartum phase. Explore the common issues impacting women after childbirth.
Health issues after childbirth
The study examines the health issues faced by more than one-third of women during the postpartum period which are long lasting. And these issues continue after months and years. Health problems that are assessed arise or continue six months after childbirth or later, and they are rarely admitted. Various health issues were found during this study. Pain during sex is the most common complication that affects postpartum women and their health. Around 35 percent of women face this complication. Couples try to relearn intimacy after the dynamic changes in their lives with the addition of a child, but they adapt to stress to relearn intimacy.
Common complications
Complications that are common during this period are – low back pain (32%), incontinence (19%), urinary incontinence (8-13%), anxiety (9-24%), depression (11-17%), perineal pain (11%), and fear of childbirth (6-15%) and secondary infertility (11%).
Prevention
The situation of these complications can be prevented by effective care throughout pregnancy and childbirth. It’s a critical preventive factor. They also added that in order to detect risks and serious complications that could lead to lasting health issues after birth. Women need high care and good treatment to overcome these issues.
Despite their prevalence, such critical conditions have been largely neglected and ignored in clinical research, practice, and policy, experts say.
Statements by Allotey
Dr. Pascale Allotey is the director of WHO’s department of sexual and reproductive health and research. He stated that these conditions cause “considerable suffering” in the day-to-day life of women for a long period after birth. Allotey was not involved in the study but still said that women with medium-to-long-term health complications from childbirth are “largely underappreciated, underrecognized, and underreported.”
“Beyond motherhood and throughout their whole lives, women need to use a wide range of services from health care providers who listen to them and their concerns and meet their needs–so that they can be cured of these health issues and survive childbirth but also have good health and enjoy it and quality of life” – says Allotety.
Maternal health and other factors
As per its opening paper, a holistic approach is needed to reduce maternal deaths, one not only focused on biomedical causes but also on other factors that have a great impact on maternal health. They are the interplay of broader social, economic, and environmental conditions, racial and gender inequalities, nutrition, sanitation, environmental risks, or exposure to violence and conflicts.
Lack of attention to these factors and issues explains why many countries failed to significantly progress in reducing maternal deaths over the past two decades. 121 countries out of 185 have failed in this matter. Maternal health is not only started when the baby bump appears, says Joao Paulo Souza.
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