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Pregnancy and Women Health in Oman
– Reported, January 13, 2012
Pregnancy can provide an important opportunity for improving maternal and family health. During repeated contact with health-workers in pregnancy, the woman is likelyto be receptive to health education, and to co-operate in measures to protect her health to promote the wellbeing of her child and family. She can learn more about good dietary habits for all the members of her family; about the importance of breastfeeding and proper weaning practices; about the health benefits of clean water, good hygiene, and proper sanitation facilities; about the benefits of immunization and growth-monitoring to protect her children, and the value of simple therapies like oral rehydration.
Pregnancy, then, provides an unique opportunity for health screening and health education. Many maternal health problems can be avoided or alleviated by relatively low cost preventive actions taken during pregnancy.
The nutritional demands of pregnancy and lactation, mentioned above, can result in greater harm to the mothers because of some traditional beliefs and practices. In some areas of Oman, pregnant women are discouraged from eating to restrict the growth of the unborn infant and so ensure easy delivery. This custom regrettably impairs the mothers health, and her ability to breastfeed.
Similarlythe tradition of women eating only after all other members of the family can, in some circumstances, deprive the woman of proper diet during the critical period of pregnancy and lactation. Nutritious food is generally more expensive and is prepared in smaller quantities. The generous servings given to men and growing children may leave insufficient nutritious food for the mother.
It is of fundamental importance to understand the dangers for the mother and her children if she has repeated pregnancies at intervals of less than 2 years. This does not allow her body to recover between pregnancies. Besides, she cannot give proper care to her new baby while still meeting the needs of her very young dependent last child.
The task of bearing children may not only impair the mothers health, but can endanger her life. Throughout the world, 500,000 maternal deaths occur each year. Where women enjoy the best environment and receive the best care during pregnancy and labour, the risk of dying is as low as 5-10 per 100,000 births. But in the least favourable environments the risk rises to 1,500 per 100,000 births – up to 300 times greater!
Too frequent births do not give sufficient time for the mother to fully breastfeed and care for her child when she gets pregnant again. Theyweaken the mother because she has very little time to recover from her previous pregnancy, and so increase the problems of properly looking after a new baby as well as a very young dependant infant. Too frequent births can result in babies born too early (before 9 months), and who are too small (less than 2.5 kgs).
Food preferences in Oman vary according to regional food habits. For example, mothers in certain regions are more likely to prefer meat, whilst fish is preferred by mothers in some other regions. In general, there are no special food preferences during pregnancy. They eat according to their local daily diet habits.
There are some mothers who avoid fish during pregnancy. There is a wrong belief that fish bones and scales are not good for the foetus and can complicate delivery.
Sometime, spicyfoodsareavoided. This isagood policy becausespicyfood can increase heartburn during pregnancy.None of the traditional foods eaten in Oman are harmful to the foetus or the mother.
Women can experience special or unusual cravings for certain types of food during pregnancy. They may also take a sudden dislike to some foods or drinks that they normally eat or drink. Most of these cravings are harmless.However, the mother should inform the doctor immediately if she has a craving to eat anything that is abnormal or classified as a non-food item. There are rare cases when women feel like eating clay or paint. This is extremely dangerous.
During pregnancy, calcium is essential for teeth and bone formation of the baby and also to protect mother?s teeth. Among women, shortage of calcium in childhood can cause small pelvic structure which makes childbirth difficult. A woman is more susceptible than a man to calcium loss In old age (after menopause). This m cause fracture and a condition called osteoporosis, due to an absolute decrease in bone tissue mass though bone formation appears normal. Good food sources for calcium are milk, cheese, yoghurt, meat, fish, and green vegetables.
Trachoma is a highly infectious disease which is common amongst the rural population of Oman. It is most common in small children and their mothers and spreads from person to person mainly by flies. At first the eye is just red and sore, but after many infections over many years scarring of the eyelids occurs, which causes the eyelashes to turn inwards. The eyelashes then rub on the eye scratching it, and leading to secondary infections and eventually causing blindness.
Some couples worry about intercourse during pregnancy. It helps to know the facts but a lot also depends on the couples feelings. The only important time to avoid having intercourse during pregnancy is if the pregnancy is complicated by bleeding. The woman should immediately see a doctor and avoid intercourse fortwo weeks after the bleeding has sto
Intercourse during the later months of pregnancy can set off contractions of the uterus. These are called Braxton Hicks contractions. They happen right through the later months of pregnancy and will not hurt the baby. Each couple should decide for themselves what suits them.
Credits: Ministry of Health- Sultanate of Oman & UNICEF
More information at:
http://www.moh.gov.om/mgl/Manual/PREGNCY/PREGNCY%20AND%20WOMAN,S%20HEALTH.htm
– WF Team
