Major Public Health Problems in Zambia

Vocabulary flashcards defining key maternal, neonatal, and child mortality concepts from the lecture on Major Public Health Problems in Zambia.

Maternal Death

The death of a woman while pregnant or within $42\,\text{days}$ of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.

Direct Maternal Death

A maternal death that is the result of a complication of the pregnancy, delivery, or their management.

Indirect Maternal Death

A pregnancy-related death in a patient with a preexisting or newly developed health problem, such as malaria, anemia, or HIV, that complicates or is aggravated by pregnancy.

Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)

The ratio of the number of maternal deaths per $100,000$ live births, used as a measure of the quality of a health care system.

Antepartum Hemorrhage

Bleeding from the genital tract after $28\,\text{weeks}$ of pregnancy, but before the birth of the baby.

Postpartum Hemorrhage

Loss of $500\,\text{ml}$ or more of blood from the genital tract after the delivery of the baby, or any amount that brings about sudden deterioration in the mother's condition.

Hypertension in Pregnancy

A condition diagnosed if systolic blood pressure is $\ge 140\,\text{mmHg}$ and/or diastolic blood pressure is $\ge 90\,\text{mmHg}$, measured on at least two occasions $4\,\text{hours}$ apart, after $20\,\text{weeks}$ of gestation in a previously normotensive woman.

Eclampsia

A severe hypertensive disorder in pregnancy emerging from pre-eclampsia that can cause fatal convulsions.

Sepsis

A very severe infection that is a frequent cause of maternal death, which can be eliminated if aseptic techniques are respected and early signs are treated in a timely manner.

Obstructed Labor

A complication of childbirth where the baby fails to descend through the birth canal despite normal uterine contractions, due to a mechanical blockage such as malposition or cephalopelvic disproportion.

Abortion

The termination of pregnancy (expulsion or extraction of fetus) before $28\,\text{weeks}$ of gestation.

Infant Mortality

The number of infant deaths ($1\,\text{year}$ of age or younger) per $1,000$ live births.

Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)

Indicates the number of deaths of babies under $1\,\text{year}$ of age per $1,000$ live births.

Live Birth

Defined by the World Health Organization as any born human being who demonstrates independent signs of life, including breathing, voluntary muscle movement, or heartbeat.

Perinatal Mortality

Includes deaths between fetal viability ($22\,\text{weeks}$ gestation) and the end of the $7\text{th}\,\text{day}$ after delivery.

Neonatal Mortality

Includes deaths in the first $28\,\text{days}$ of life.

Post Neonatal Mortality

Includes deaths after $28\,\text{days}$ of life but before $1\,\text{year}$.

Child Mortality

Includes deaths within the first $5\,\text{years}$ after birth.