KARACHI: A quarter of the deaths of pregnant women in the country are due to high blood pressure, according to a study by Aga Khan University researchers.
A study by the Aga Khan University suggests ways to reduce the burden of pre-eclampsia, a leading cause of maternal mortality and illness in the country, which is actually a condition associated with high blood pressure during pregnancy.
According to the study, one-fourth of all deaths among pregnant women in the country are due to high blood pressure.
However, there is still a lack of awareness among the public and health care providers about the importance of monitoring blood pressure.
Aga Khan University associate professor Dr Rahat Qureshi, who was involved in the research, said there was no word for pre-eclampsia in prominent regional languages like Sindhi.
“Unlike other birth-related complications, the symptoms of pre-eclampsia are not easily recognizable, which limits the chances of early diagnosis, and many pregnant women suffer from serious complications,” she said.
According to research published in The Lancet, Community-Level Interventions for Pre-Eclampsia (CLIP) Pakistan, community health workers help women deal with the severity of the disease, provide first aid and ensure transportation to health facilities. Can play an important role.
According to the research, Lady Health Workers (LHWs) in Matiari and Hyderabad reached out to more than 35,000 women in a span of 3 years.
Lady Health Workers asked mothers about the various symptoms of pre-eclampsia and measured their blood pressure and oxygen levels on the spot.
This information is then incorporated into a smartphone-based mobile health application that allows you to quickly assess the serious risk of eclampsia.
In the event of a warning on this health application, lady health workers were trained to provide antihypertensive tablets or magnesium sulfate for immediate treatment.
They have also been provided with prenatal care during pregnancy and prenatal preparations so that they can send at-risk mothers to the nearest hospital.
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In this regard, Jizyah shows that when there were enough lady health workers to take care of them, the deaths of mothers and newborns decreased.
The researchers added that to reduce the risk during pregnancy, there should be more lady health workers who can ensure 8 prenatal visits.
The study’s findings also support the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations for regular prenatal care to reduce the risk of pregnancy-related complications. The researchers also observed that the quality of treatment provided in medical facilities and the availability of vital items needed to be improved to reduce women’s mortality during pregnancy or immediately after birth