Maternal health and childbirth in Pakistan

 

Maternal health and childbirth in Pakistan

20 important facts 

1.    High Birth Rate: Approximately 5.5 million babies are born in Pakistan each year, which translates to around 14,900 births every day.

2.    Early Motherhood: 8% of young women (aged 20-24) give birth by the age of 18

3.    Neonatal Mortality: Around 671 babies die daily before reaching their first month of life.

4.    Stillbirths: Pakistan experiences 665 stillbirths every day.

5.    Urban-Rural Disparities: The neonatal mortality rate (NMR) in rural areas is 62 deaths per 1,000 live births, while in urban areas, it’s 47 deaths per 1,000 live births¹.

6.    Socioeconomic Impact: Neonatal mortality is higher among the poorest households (62 per 1,000 live births) compared to the richest households (34 per 1,000 live births).

7.    Maternal Mortality: Pakistan’s maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is 178 deaths per 100,000 live births.

8.    Education Matters: Newborns with less educated mothers are 2.4 times more likely to die during the first month compared to those born to mothers with higher education.

9.    Postnatal Care: Only 51.7% of mothers receive postnatal care within 2 days of childbirth.

10. Family Planning: The demand for family planning satisfied by modern methods is 48.7%.

11. Infant Survival: Approximately 665 stillbirths occur daily in Pakistan.

12. Slow Progress: While progress has been made in reducing maternal and child mortality, the decline in neonatal mortality has been slow.

13. Health Disparities: Urban-rural disparities persist, affecting access to quality maternal and newborn care.

14. Physician Density: Pakistan has 0.8 physicians per 1,000 population.

15. Nurse and Midwife Density: There are 0.6 nurses and midwives per 1,000 population.

16. Educational Divide: Neonatal mortality is higher among mothers with less education.

17. Coverage Challenges: Ensuring care for mothers remains a challenge, especially in rural areas.

18. Stagnant Progress: Child mortality reduction has been stagnant in the last decade, with only a 27% decline in neonatal mortality rates.

19. Quality of Care: Efforts are being made to improve the quality of care around childbirth in Pakistan.

20. Continued Efforts Needed: Addressing maternal and newborn health disparities requires sustained attention and targeted interventions.