These notes are about the CMF Developing Health Course 2014.
The focus of today is Women’s Health. I made notes on the whole course in 2012 – you can read about this day here.
Each day I’m just going to write about things that impacted me, and things I need to read later…
Maternal death
Afghanistan – “One of the worst places in the world in which to be pregnant”
UNICEF
Has a Maternal Mortality Rate of 6,500 per 100,000. Which is the highest ever recorded, anywhere in the world.
Reducing those MMR stats is simple: we know the answers…
- Improve access
- Ensure skilled staff at deliveries
- Increase Utilization
- Education and Family Planning
Female Genital Mutilation
Studies have shown that it is not really a religious tradition but a cultural one. It is barbaric – and the pictures and case studies just confirmed that. I’m pretty proud of our country that they have made it illegal for UK nationals or residents to perform FGM anywhere in the world. Maximum sentence 14 years!
There were some interesting discussions about this though: if you deliver a baby, and the mother gets a tear, relating to her FGM, you breach the law if you repair it to how it was previously, rather than trying to reverse the FGM – regardless of the patient’s choice!
Women, depression and domestic violence
There is a big correlation between depression and suicide in women in the developing world – in the UK, men are about 3 times more likely to be successful in suicide. In Bangladesh, there is no statistic distinction between the two.
Being poor, worrying about family, about health, about money, about social insecurity, domestic violence: all these things are stressful.
In some studies, 20-36% of women in Asia suffer from post-natal depression.
Group work
We had a range of group workshops, where we talked through loads of case studies. Very informative, very useful. Just like yesterday, where I ended up teaching a group how to perform a spinal anaesthetic, today I realised that I actually have something to contribute, based on my professional experience. Last time, I knew very little about gynaecology, but this year I had 4 months on experience, and was able to participate actively in the discussion.
