Maternal Mortality Book 'Allow God To Be God, Our Testimony' Launched

Maternal death can be prevented when there is timely diagnosis and appropriate management of pregnancy complications, Lila Laryea, a doctor at Acacia Hospital has disclosed.

According to the Dr. Laryea, medical officers must ensure that patients are monitored regularly to prevent cases of maternal death.

She was speaking at the launch of the book "Allow God to be God", a book which reveals the true story of a couple's crucial journey during pregnancy and gives vivid details of complications a young wife experienced during pregnancy.

She stated that postpartum Haemorrhage is an obstetric emergency and one of the major causes of maternal mortality in Ghana according to research.

She stated that the condition is as a result of bleeding in excess of 500mls to 1000mls of blood within the first 24 hours of delivery.

She cautioned pregnant women to eat well and take all the prescribed drugs in order to be healthy and deliver healthy babies as well.

A Senior Health Research Officer, of the National Blood Service Ghana, Emmanuel Nene Dei reiterated that, "fifty percent of women who die during childbirth is as a result of post-partum haemorrhage."

He added that, "most of the women who suffer from post-partum haemorrhage die because there is not enough blood readily available to replace the blood they lose during delivery.

He noted that, it is based on the fact that some have to receive between 6 and 10 units of blood to survive the procedure.

In most of such emergencies, doctors have to wait whilst relatives comb around looking for blood to save the lives of these women, he added. For a woman bleeding in such an emergency and waiting means death, he added.

He called on Ghanaians to do their part by giving blood freely every 4 months, and "not only when their relatives or friends need it but in order for enough blood to be in our blood banks to save our mothers during post-partum haemorrhage".

Delasie Dogbey, author of the book stated that he was compelled to write the book based on the encounter of his wife during pregnancy and the dangers she experienced during the period.

Mr. Dogbey said that several women are dying as a result of excess bleeding during delivery in Ghana and called on medical experts to go the extra mile to cater for pregnant women.

He noted that he wrote the book to encourage couples and especially mothers to exercise faith during pregnancy in order to have safe delivery.

"During pregnancy there is not only an element of the physical but the spiritual as well and I am calling on anyone who reads this book not to take it for granted.

The 150 page-book a compelling story of a couple, who struggled during pregnancy as a result of a bed rested wife who was determined to have her set of twins despite all the medical challenges she faced as a result of her pregnancy.

It is set to create awareness on pregnancy and its complications for couples, especially fathers to be supportive of their wives during the delicate period of pregnancy.

It also throws more light on the down sides of the Ghanaian healthcare system.