reproduction and global maternal health

reproductive health

• definition

• what does it include

• State of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not the absence of reproductive diseases  

• That people can have a satisfying sex life, the capacity to reproduce and have access to contraceptives if wanted  

• Includes sexual health, enhancing life and personal relations  

what is stratified reproduction

Stratified reproduction: 

• System where the capacity to have control over ones reproductive choices is unequally distributed among people: race, sexual orientation, gender, class 

who is involved in governing reproduction 4

Who is involved in governing reproduction? 

• State 

• Biomedicine 

• Religion 

• International agencies  

what are the 3 types of state control of reproduction P,A,A

pronatalism

anti-natalism

abortion

explain

• pronatalism

• anti-natalism

• abortion

State control: PRONATALISM  

• Political ideology that seeks to increase birth rates  

• Policies that encourage people to have more children  

• Glorifies parenthood  

State control: ANTI-NATALISM  

• Discourages birth for all sections  

• Could be because of excess ppn  

• Increase in contraception, could be coercive  

State control: ABORTION  

• Some women that cannot access it legally, get unsafe ones  

• Different laws and religious aspects  

• what is medicalisation

• how has womens health been medicalised

• Medicalisation: when aspects of life outside medical context become medical problems  

• Biomedicine can be used as social control  

• Women’s reproductive processes are recently pathological and risky  

• They need constant monitoring, medical intervention (sex, conception, pregnancy, childbirth) 

• many women give birth in the NHS

what are some reasons that justify the medicalisation of childbirth

Safe motherhood 

• Childbirth in hospitals is more safe  

Defensive medicine  

Womens choice 

• They are offered the option but can still make choices about their pregnancies  

what are the two models of childbirth

Biomedical model of birth: 

Midwifery/social model of birth: 

explain

Biomedical model of birth: 

Midwifery/social model of birth: 

Biomedical model of birth: 

• Birth is risky and can cause harm to the mother  

• Support and surveillance with technology is needed esp in a hosp  

• Should take place in hospital in case of issues  

Midwifery/social model of birth: 

• Women should experience childbirth as naturally as possible  

• Midwives are there in case accidents happen and intervene when needed  

what is obstetric violence

Obstetric violence  

• Abuse that occur in the context of medicalised childbirth  

• Inability to exercise autonomy during childbirth  

• Poorer women are subject to forces episiotomies and c-sections  

• Subject to hostility and verbal abuse and forced sterilisations  

what is

• maternal health

• maternal death

• pregnancy related death

• maternal mortality ratio MMR

Maternal health 

• Health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum period  

Maternal death 

• Death of woman while pregnant or in 42 days of termination of pregnancy  

• Related to cause or aggravated by pregnancy or management  

Pregnancy related death 

• Death of woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination  

• Irrespective of cause of death  

Maternal mortality ratio MMR  

• Number of maternal deaths per 100 000 live births  

what are the three phases of delay in reproductive health

Delay in seeking care  

• Access to money, value of womans health, restrictions in mobility 

Delay in identifying/ reaching medical facility  

• Distance, distribution, available transport, costs  

Delay in receiving appropriate treatment  

• Staff, equipment, management  

what is reproductive justice

Reproductive justice  

• Marginalisation by reproductive rights  

• Rights to have children, not have any, raise children in healthy environments  

• Access to abortions and midwives  

what was the safe motherhood initiative 1987

• to improve the health and wellbeing of mothers and newborns

• cut the number of maternal deaths in half by 2000