Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on Friday in Lagos called for increased attendance of antenatal care by pregnant women to reduce high rate of infant and maternal mortality in Nigeria.
The experts made the call at a presentation of four books entitled: ‘Step by Step Approach to Obstetrics and Gynaecological Ultrasonography’, ‘Bullet Point Answers to Exam Questions in Obstetrics”.
Others were: “Bullet Point Answers to Exam Questions in Gynaecology” and “What Mama Didn’t Tell You About Pregnancy — the Myth, the Truth and the Lie”.
The books were written by Dr Gregory Ohihoin, a Chief Research Fellow and Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos.
Prof. Osato Giwa-Osagie, an Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, described high infant and maternal mortality rate in the country as unacceptable.
Giwa-Osagie said that the book, which dwells on the step by step application of Ultrasonography, would help doctors and women to understand the peculiarity of the pregnancy and ensure safe delivery.
He said: “This book will have a very wide application as it will help many educated pregnant women. It will save lives of babies and mothers.”
Also speaking, Prof. Babatunde Salako, the Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, described the books as “veritable source of information for doctors and residents in training”.
According to him, the books will facilitate their knowledge and ability to handle pregnancies.
Salako said: “This means that we will produce more knowledgeable obstetricians and gynaecologists, who will make correct diagnosis and take appropriate decisions on their patients to enhance delivery of baby and safety for the mother.
“When our pregnant women attend antenatal, these doctors will handle their cases properly; we can also say that this development will reduce the rate of maternal and infant deaths in the country.”
The Book Reviewer, Dr Oliver Ezechi, an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at NIMR, said that the myth, Old Wife’s Tales, about pregnancy passed down from generation to generation were the greatest challenge in reducing infant and maternal mortality.
Ezechi said: “Pregnancy is not a disease; it is a normal physiological process and if women take it serious by registering for antenatal early and take their doctor’s advice; close to 95 per cent of pregnancies will be successful without complications.
“With antenatal attendance, doctors will identify problems early and prevent them – prevent infant and maternal deaths.”
Also reviewing the book, ‘ What Mama didn’t tell You about Pregnancy – the Myth, the Truth and the Lie”, Rabi Adetoro said that the 100-page book narrated a beautiful story of pregnancy from conception to delivery and post-delivery stages.
Adetoro said: “The book explained the time to register for antenatal, diets during pregnancy, signs and the role of fathers to secure the health of the mother and the baby.”
In his remarks, Ohihoin, the author of the books, said that rate of antenatal care attendance in Nigeria was 51 per cent.
He said that such rate was too low and contributed majorly to the high rate of infant and maternal mortality.
The author said that the main aim of antenatal care was to ensure healthy mother and infant at the end of the pregnancy.
Ohhoin said: “I wrote these books to emphasise that antenatal care should be seen as a major preventive health measure aimed at preventing the development of any pregnancy disorder or complication.
“Antenatal care should address the psychosocial and medical needs of the woman within the context of the health care delivery system and the culture in which she lives.”
In a recent United Nations Children’s Fund’s report, it was revealed that Nigeria loses about 2300 under five-year olds and 145 women of childbearing age daily. This makes the country the second largest contributor to the under-five and maternal mortality rate in the world.
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