The causes of maternal and fetal death during childbirth are very variable and they usually occur in the event of a high-risk pregnancy or when a premature birth occurs.
One of the most common causes of the mother's death during childbirth is bleeding that can happen immediately after the baby leaves the womb or in the first days. In the case of babies, those who are born very premature are the most at risk of life.
Maternal death can happen during delivery or up to 42 days after the baby is born, the most common causes of which include:
Causes of maternal death:
- Arterial hypertension or Eclampsia; Postpartum haemorrhage; Infection; Abnormalities of uterine contraction; Unsafe abortion; Complications of pre-existing or developed diseases during pregnancy.
Causes of fetal death:
The causes of fetal death at birth or in the first 28 days of birth can be:
- Placental insufficiency; Lack of oxygen in the baby, due to winding in the umbilical cord, for example; Fetal malformation; Extreme prematurity.
How to decrease the risk of death in childbirth
The best way to achieve a healthy pregnancy, so that the baby can develop and be born healthy, is to ensure that the woman has the necessary assistance during her pregnancy. For that it is necessary:
- Prenatal care from the beginning of pregnancy until the moment of delivery; Carry out all the necessary exams during prenatal care; Eat well, betting on healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, grains and lean meats; Only do physical exercise when accompanied by a qualified professional, control any existing disease by performing exams and following the treatment proposed by the doctor, informing about childbirth and if you choose normal delivery, physically prepare for him to try to decrease the time of labor; Do not take medication without medical advice; Avoid exaggerated weight gain in pregnancy because cardiac changes increase the risk of death in childbirth; Keep diabetes well controlled every day; Prevent the woman from becoming pregnant again in the period of at least 1 year; Iron and folic acid supplementation during pregnancy to prevent fetal malformation.
The risk of maternal and fetal death has decreased year after year in Brazil and in the world due to the performance of prenatal care and the modern means of diagnosis and treatment that currently exist, but women who do not receive adequate monitoring during pregnancy and delivery are more likely to have complications.
