Today is our topic of discussion Maternal And Child Health and Family Planning
Maternal And Child Health and Family Planning
Definition of Maternal and Child Health (MCH):
The ‘maternal and child health’ refers to the promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative heath care for mothers and children.
Component/area of MCH services:
1. Maternal health
2. Child health
3. Family planning
4. School health
5. Handicapped children
6. Adolescent
7. Health aspects of care of children in special settings such as day care centres and
8. Health education
Objectives of MCH care:
1. Reduction of mortality and morbidity rates of the mothers and children. noitsoub
2. Promotion of reproductive health, such as spacing of pregnancies, limitation of family size.
3. Promotion of physical and psychological development of the child & adolescent within the family.
4. The ultimate objective of MCH services is the life-long health.
Importance of MCH service in Bangladesh:
1. Mother and children constitute a high risk group of population.
2. By improving the health of the mothers and children, it can contribute to the health of total no population.
3. To reduce child mortality (to achieve the target of MDG-4).
4. To reduce maternal mortality (to achieve the target of MDG-5).
5. Special care of pregnant women has double health benefits: first to her as an adult member of the society and second for the offspring.
6. Impairment of a woman’s health may have adverse effect on the health of the other family Morbid members too.
Maternity cycle:
Maternity cycle is the various stages through which maternity passes. The stages
are –
1. Fertilization
2. Antenatal or prenatal period: From fertilization upto end of pregnancy.
3. Intranatal period: From start of labour to complete expulsion of placenta.
4. Postnatal period: Upto 6 weeks after delivery.
5. Interconceptional period: Period between two conceptions.
MCH problems in Bangladesh:
1. Malnutrition
2. Infection
3. Consequences of unregulated fertility
4. Paucity of health and other social services
5. Poor socio-economic conditions
See also :
