Maternal Health: A complicated issue.

The factors that play into maternal health are far more complex than I was ever aware.  I'm ashamed to say that I think my naivety was influenced by the fact that I viewed this issue through the eyes of a "sheltered Westerner," assuming that the main factors were lack of financial support and lack of smart decisions.  In the past week I have come to the realization that this is a very simplified view of the issue.  In fact, the state of maternal health is dependent upon many interwoven and complicated issues.  It is far too much of a generalization to say that poverty alone is the reason a woman might not receive proper health care.  Rather, the intricacies within poverty are the causes: inaccessible and sparse clinics, lack of sanitation and clean water, improper nutrition, lack of education, etc.  The fact that the problem can be broken down so directly is simultaneously threatening and encouraging.  It reveals the many different factors that affect maternal health, which might initially seem discouraging.  However, it also allows for specific targets and goals, which will help to solve the issue of maternal health in the long run.

The state of India’s health care for women, in particular when they are in the midst of their pregnancy, is lacking and needs improvement, especially in poorer rural areas where, ironically, it seems to be needed most.  India has three different levels of care across the nation: central, state and local.  The local level is the level that deals with the direct health care services and, in rural areas, there is only one clinic for every 20,000 to 30,000 people (Barua, 2003).  These facilities are not what westerners might assume hospitals to be like.  In fact, each care center only has about 14 people on staff, including the administrative staff and the drivers for the vehicles (although emergency vehicles are not always available) (Barua, 2003).  Through the articles I have read both in class and outside of class, it is clear to see that the availability of proper health care is one of the biggest and most looming issues in Indian societies. When there is a lack of qualified health professionals, the risk of having complications occur before, during or after a pregnancy is even higher.  In a country where there are already so many other factors affecting maternal health, it would seem that proper health care would be the first and most immediate priority. 

Environmental factors have a much greater effect on maternal health than I ever believed was the case.  As technology in agriculture has increased, most areas have also seen a rise in the amount of environmental degradation that is apparent.  Many areas have seen things such as contaminated water as a result of an increase in fertilizer use (Agarwal, 1997).  Water sanitation plays a large part in the health of the people, and women who drink unsanitary water will obviously be less healthy than those who have access to clean water.  This threatens not only the health of the mother, but also the health of her children.  One of the biggest issues that I see with something like water sanitation is that it is a result of many positive improvements in the community.  Technological advances in rural communities are a good thing because they help the area to grow more economically and be able to keep up with the globalization that is surrounding them.  However, proper use of these advancements needs to be taught as well.  You can’t implement new ideas into a society without educating the community on the potential repercussions and giving them the knowledge and ability to combat those negative impacts.   

The articles I have read recently have shown me that improvement in the arena of maternal health in India could be a long and arduous process.  There are so many influences on the single issue, however, fixing or making adjustments to one could very well make progress with another.  For example, if policies are put into place for better education, it could cover education of women on their own health, education of the health professionals and it might also increase a community’s awareness of how they are affecting the environment around them.  All of these things would have positive effects on women’s health in India.  In turn, with better education it is likely that the economy would be better stimulated, increasing the overall wealth of the community and therefore allowing or more allocation of money for things like water sanitation and proper health care facilities and systems.  My point is, there may be many factors that influence maternal health, but if changes are made that affect one or two of those factors, it is inevitable that most other influencing issues would see improvement as well.  In fact, it is a cycle.  Currently, maternal health in India is in a cycle of neglect and negativity, but with just a few implemented changes, the cycle can be turned the opposite way, to one of positive growth.

Works Cited

Agarwal, B. (1997). Gender, Environment, and Poverty Interlinks Regional Variations and Temporal Shifts in Rural India, 1971-91. World Development 25(1) , 23-52.

Barua, A. W. (2003). Implementing Reproductive and Child Health Services in Rural Maharashtra, India: a Pragmatic Approach. Reproductive Health Matters, 11(21) , 140-149.