Finding root causes of health problems
Make change in your community to
prevent health problems
Most deaths and injuries from pregnancy and childbirth can be prevented by
looking at and treating root causes. But to do so, a community must look beyond
the experiences of individual women. Look at the common dangers that affect all
women in pregnancy and birth. And use the skills of every community member to
protect women’s health.
Midwives, who are most experienced with birth, can tell others in the
community why women are dying and being injured during birth. Families,
midwives, and other health workers and community members can work together
to make changes, small and large, to improve health for all. When everyone in the
community becomes involved with health, we can do much more than one
midwife alone.
How to start
Lack of healthy food, dirty drinking water, lack of transportation in emergencies,
and alcohol abuse are a few of the problems that contribute to serious health
problems for women. These can all be addressed when they are not considered
individual problems and when the whole community works together for change.
But it can be difficult to know where to start. A good first step is to meet with
community members to talk. If you teach birth classes to pregnant women, meet
with other midwives, or are a member of a social or church group, you can use that
group to solve problems.
Iron pills
make me
constipated.
A Book for Midwives (2010)
23