Maternal morbidity and associated risk factors among the Khasi of Ri Bhoi district Meghalaya an anthropological study

Abstract

Maternal period is considered quite crucial stage in the reproductive period of a woman s life especially during pregnancy and child birth. During which the women may experience a series of maternal health complications or maternal morbidities that may be long term or short term. In the present study, self-reported morbidities by the Bhoi Khasi women of Meghalaya were identified and it was found that in the antepartum stage maternal complications like lower abdomen pain, back pain, headache, anaemia, hypertension (serious maternal morbidity), oedema, nausea/ vomiting, blurry vision/ night blindness, etc., were most prevalent. In the intrapartum stage, the most prevalent self-reported maternal morbidity were breathing difficulties, vaginal tear, obstructed/ prolonged labour (serious maternal morbidity), epiostomy/ recto-vaginal incision, breathing difficulties, fatigue/ lack of energy, excessive vaginal bleeding (life-threatening), etc. In the postpartum stage, the most frequently reported complications were abdomen pain, of lack of energy, postpartum anaemia, fever gt 3 days (serious maternal morbidity), etc. All the complications were categorised on the basis of severity with respect to pregnancy status of the women. The maternal morbidities are influenced by various underlying factors directly or indirectly. In the present study key factors i.e. socio-economic status (SES), quality of life, education, availability of health infrastructure and service and type of social structure, which influenced the maternal health through morbidities by affecting the intermediate factors like health status including anthropometric variables, hypertension, nutritional status, pre-existing maternal complications with degree of morbidity severities, reproductive and maternal health factors i.e. age, age at menarche, age at first pregnancy, parity and maternal status, postnatal depression , awareness and access to health care services including ANC, PNC, preference of child birth, EmOC services etc., and health seeking behaviour.