Antenatal care key to reducing maternal mortality

Family Planning and Newborn Care Register nurse and midwife counseling mothers to breast feed their babies in the Jummai Babangida Aliyu Maternal and Neonatal Hospital on June 20, 2018 in Minna, Nigeria. Photo © Dominic Chavez/The Global Financing Facility

There is a need for increased sexual and reproductive health services and innovation in Africa, a researcher on maternal mortality has said. Copyright: Dominic Chavez/The Global Financing Facility (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED).

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<h1>Antenatal care key to reducing maternal mortality</h1>
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<p>Childbirth brings forth new life but is a dangerous journey for many women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, over two-thirds of global maternal mortality occurs in the region.</p>
<p>In this episode of <em>Africa Science Focus</em> – the second in our series on women’s health – our reporter, Busola Ajibola, speaks to Eli Sukarime, associate professor and honorary consultant in obstetrics and gynecology at Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.</p>
<p>He discusses the need to understand the causes of maternal mortality in the region in order to design effective healthcare solutions.</p>
<p>Osaretin Okonji, public health researcher at the University of Western Cape’s School of Pharmacy, in Cape Town, South Africa, says improving access through policy changes and prioritising interventions like antenatal care are crucial steps.</p>
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<p>Do you have any comments, questions or feedback about our podcast episodes? Let us know at <a href="mailto:podcast@scidev.net"><em>podcast@scidev.net</em></a></p>
<p><em>Africa Science Focus</em> is produced by <em>SciDev.Net</em> and distributed in association with your local radio station.</p>
<p><em>This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.</em></p>

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Childbirth brings forth new life but is a dangerous journey for many women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, over two-thirds of global maternal mortality occurs in the region.

In this episode of Africa Science Focus – the second in our series on women’s health – our reporter, Busola Ajibola, speaks to Eli Sukarime, associate professor and honorary consultant in obstetrics and gynecology at Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.

He discusses the need to understand the causes of maternal mortality in the region in order to design effective healthcare solutions.

Osaretin Okonji, public health researcher at the University of Western Cape’s School of Pharmacy, in Cape Town, South Africa, says improving access through policy changes and prioritising interventions like antenatal care are crucial steps.

Do you have any comments, questions or feedback about our podcast episodes? Let us know at [email protected]

Africa Science Focus is produced by SciDev.Net and distributed in association with your local radio station.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.