Mother’s guide to safe delivery, healthy baby

By Elizabeth Mwai

Mothers to-be can now be more prepared for childbirth thanks to a new guide to child bearing and rearing.

Health experts are localising the Mother and Child Health Handbook, which has been used in Japan for decades to guide pregnant women.

This comes at a handy time with World Health Organisation statistics showing that Sub-Saharan Africa is responsible for 51 per cent of infant and maternal death globally.

The Japan International Co-operation Agency (Jica) director reproductive health Takeuchi Tomoko says the booklet provides crucial information on pregnancy care, immunisation and nutrition. "Mothers should know the risks involved during pregnancy so that they can take care of themselves and their unborn child," says Tomoko.

Tomoko said monitoring of a pregnancy by a mother is key to ensuring safe delivery. The book first introduced in Japan 62 years ago has helped reduce child and maternal mortality. The handbook combined with other initiatives has seen a drop of infant mortality in Japan from 80 per 1,000 in the 1950’s to four per 1,000 live births in 2000.

Uzima Foundation-Africa co-sponsor Miriam Were says East Africa needs the handbook to reduce child and maternal deaths.

She says many mothers and children die due to complications, which if detected early can be averted. "This handbook will promote early diagnosis of complications among babies," she says.

Record form

A joint team from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda are localising the 51-page book contains pages for interaction between the health provider and the expectant woman.

The pregnant woman keeps a record form, which she can fill in information of previous pregnancies including miscarriages experienced and risk assessments related to medical and obstetrical history.

According to the guide, healthcare is essential throughout pregnancy. This allows the doctor examining her during prenatal visits to give the right advise on risks related to current pregnancies based on past medical experiences including antenatal care and follow-ups, postnatal examination, newborn assessment, family planning, immunisation schedule and child’s measurements.

It has information on the proper nutrition and beneficial supplements, e.g. what to take to prevent anaemia and taking folic acid is important for up to three months after delivery. It discusses hygiene, physical exercise, dental care, rest relaxation and sleep and the role they play towards delivery of a healthy baby.