Oxygen is essential for life, but it needs to be transported by hemoglobin to be used. Anemia occurs when the amount of hemoglobin falls below normal levels. In 2011, 32 million pregnant women suffered from anemia, according to WHO data. This condition is so common that, in the United States alone, almost one in three pregnant women has an iron deficiency in the third trimester. Pregnancy is a risk factor for anemia because the iron needs of the fetus and placenta increase. Preventing anemia during pregnancy is crucial because it can lead to pregnancy complications such as premature birth, low ..read more

Postpartum hemorrhage is one of the main causes of maternal mortality worldwide. Most of these occur in low-resource countries and are preventable if detected and treated in a timely manner. Non pneumatic antishock garment (NASG) is a useful device in the management and stabilization of hypovolemic shock secondary to postpartum hemorrhage; It helps reach hemodynamic stability needed to provide comprehensive treatment, perform blood transfusions or be able to safely  refer a patient to a specialized health center. Through its 6 neoprene segments, the NASG generates circumferential pressure ..read more

Introducing the MaternaWell Tray in the context of new findings showing how important measurement of blood loss is in triggering a bundle of interventions for PPH. It’s rare in public health to find absolutely jaw-dropping results. Perhaps especially rare in the centuries old scourge of women dying in childbirth. But 2023 was different. The E-MOTIVE trial was a massive multi-country cluster-randomized research study taking a fresh look at already identified interventions for postpartum hemorrhage, the leading cause of death for women in childbirth in many settings. And collectively, jaws ..read more

Oxygen is life. Too many newborns die because they are born too early, too small or too sick to breathe properly on their own. Simple medical devices can assist newborn breathing until an infant can breathe on his or her own. However, these devices are often out of reach for small clinics and hospitals.   The Pumani bubbleCPAP was designed to meet this need for Malawi and is now widely available through Maternova. We had a few questions about post-research phases of the Pumani bubbleCPAP which we posed to Jocelyn Brown, inventor of the Pumani bubbleCPAP, and Molly ..read more

Simple color coded devices for triage always come first on our list at Maternova. In humanitarian settings a quick, lightweight band to wrap around an arm and make a referral decision is a lifesaver. MUAC tapes used to screen pregnant women As mentioned in a prior blog post, MUAC tapes are used to assess the malnutrition status of pregnant women. The mid upper arm circumference has been shown to correlate well with Body Mass Index (BMI) and the Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) does not change much over the course of a pregnancy. Overall the MUAC measurement indicates protein reserves ..read more

Postpartum depression (also called PPD) is one of the most common conditions to impact new mothers, affecting about 1 in 7 women, or just about 15% (1). A drop in estrogen and progesterone immediately after birth causes this condition that is characterized by extreme sadness, anxiety and exhaustion. It most frequently occurs about 1 to 3 weeks after a mother has given birth. Signs of PPD can include changes in feelings, everyday life, or the thoughts a mother has about themselves or their baby. Postpartum depression is a mental disorder that needs to be treated with either medication or therap ..read more

The World Health Organization (WHO) launched The Roadmap to Combat Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH) between 2023 and 2030 at the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference in May of 2023. The document recognizes that PPH is a severe threat to global maternal health, particularly impacting women in low and middle income countries (LMICs), and asserts a series of specific global calls to action in order to reduce maternal mortality caused by PPH in hopes of regaining traction with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  This document holds particular importance because, despi ..read more

A Brief History on Speculums Pelvic exams are an essential component of reproductive health. The pelvic exam detects medical conditions, such as sexually transmitted infections and ovarian cysts. It is also the method used to conduct a pap smear to screen for cervical cancer, conduct colposcopies and to examine and treat the vagina in instances of sexual trauma. The pelvic exam is aided with the use of a vaginal speculum, a medical device designed to improve visibility.   Most clinicians still use the speculum that mirrors the design put forth over two centuries ago. The traditional ..read more

Sepsis & maternal mortality According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 800 women died every day in 2020 from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth (1). Approximately 95% of these maternal deaths occurred in low and middle income countries.  Worldwide, sepsis is one of the most frequent causes of maternal death (2,3). Sepsis is a state where the body responds in an unregulated way to infection. More specifically, the NIH defines sepsis as a “life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection” (4). Sepsis is commonl ..read more

Looking Ahead: What Must be Done to Address Maternity Care Deserts The United States faces a drastically high maternal mortality rate compared to other financially comparable developed nations. This issue is exacerbated by areas of the country where obstetric care appears to be completely absent from communities and even whole counties. March of Dimes recently uploaded their 2022 report concerning maternity care deserts in the United States. The report breaks down updated statistics on the prevalence of maternity care deserts, and evaluates them in terms of trends from previous years ..read more