A Presentation to __________
Healthy Timing and Spacing of Pregnancy(HTSP):For healthy babies, healthy mothers, and healthy communities
Improving Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health
Nearly every country supportsefforts to improve Maternal,Newborn, and Child Health.
“No woman should diebringing life into theworld and no childshould die when weknow how to save them”
UNSecretary General Ban- Ki Moon
International Support and Guidancefor Improving MNCH
1994 International Conference on Population andDevelopment endorsed by 180 nations
United Nations Millennium Development Goals promotesignificant improvements in MNCH by 2015
The US Global Health Initiative heavily invests in MNCH
(add any national or regional declarations that have addressedMNCH)
GHI
The Global Health Initiative (GHI) will invest $63 billion to improve the health of women, newbornsand children. The GHI aims to:
Reduce maternal mortality by 30% in assisted countries thus saving the lives of360,000 women
Improve child health by reducing under 5 mortality by 35% in assistedcountries, saving the lives of 3 million children. including 1.5 million newborns,
Improve access to family planning and reproductive health by increasingcontraceptive prevalence to 35%, preventing 54 million unintended pregnancies.reducing to 20 percent the number of first births by women under 18.
Maternal and Child Health in (YourCountry)
In this slide provide information on MNCH in your country orcommunity including data on maternal and child illness and death.
Also, include information on what is being done through policies, healthservices and community education by governments and NGOs toimprove MNCH.
USAD recommends a simple and cost-effective approach to achieving these goals
USAID supported six studies to examine theeffect of closely spaced pregnancies on thehealth of women and children
These studies were reviewed by a group oftechnical experts convened by the World HealthOrganization.
The technical experts concluded that closelyspaced pregnancies can lead to thefollowing:
Babies may be:
• Born too early
•Of low birth weight
•Too small
•More likely to die
Mothers may be:
•More likely to die in childbirth
•More likely to miscarry apregnancy
•More likely to seek an unsafeabortion
Source: Report of a Technical Consultation Report on Birth Spacing (WHO)
Birth-to-Pregnancy Intervals and the Risk of PoorHealth Outcomes among Mothers and Children
Sources: Conde-Agudelo, 2000, 2005; and DaVanzo et al, 2007
Birth-to-Pregnancy Intervals and
Relative Risk of Neonatal and Infant Mortality
Source: Rutstein, 2008
Pregnancy Timing
Women under the age of 18are twice as likely to die,and women under the ageof 15 are five times morelikely to die ofcomplications than womenover the age of 18.
Death and illness is greateramong children born toadolescent motherscompared to women over20:
Healthy Timing andSpacing of Pregnancy (HTSP)
USAID recommends that women practice healthy timing and spacingof pregnancy.
This means that:
1.After a live birth, women and couples should wait at least 24months before trying to become pregnant again.
2.After a miscarriage or abortion, women and couples should waitat least six months before trying to become pregnant again.
3.Adolescents should delay pregnancy until at least 18 years ofage.
4.Women and men should use a family planning method of theirchoice to delay and space their pregnancies.
A word about language: pregnancyspacing vs. birth spacing
Birth spacing refersspecifically to the period oftime between when awoman gives birth andwhen she gives birth again.
Pregnancy spacing refers tothe period of time betweenwhen a woman gives birthand when she gets pregnantagain.
The Benefits of HTSP: For Women
A reduced risk of pregnancy-related complications
high blood pressure
Blocked or prolonged labor
prolonged labor
anemia
death
Gives mothers two years to fully prepare for her nextpregnancy
Keeps girls in school and improves their opportunities
The Benefits of HTSP: For Children
A reduced risk of:
Pre term births
Small for gestational age
Low birth weight
Stunting
Death
An opportunity to breastfeed for a full two years, asrecommended by WHO and UNICEF.
The Benefits of HTSP: For Men
Provides an action that men can take to safeguard the healthand wellbeing of their partners and children.
Involves men in making decisions about family planning,child spacing, and the health of the family.
Allows men time to emotionally and financially prepare forthe birth of a child.
The Benefits of HTSP: For Communities
When more women and couples are able to space theirpregnancies, communities will see:
Less illness and death to among mothers, babies, andchildren;
reduced poverty;
Improvements in the quality of life
Women have more educational opportunities
Women can contribute to community development
Less stress for men and women
Family Planning : Critical for HTSP
Access to family planning isessential.
FP can reduce the numberof high risk pregnancies
HTSP help to better linkFP and other healthinformation and services,including MNCH, ANC,PPC, PAC and YouthFriendly Services
What can you do to improve knowledgeabout the benefits of HTSP?
Advocate for HTSP information to be included in relevantpolicies and guidelines
Train health workers to educate and counsel on HTSP.
Produce education materials that discuss HTSP
Gain the support of community leaders and localpolicymakers for HTSP.
Educate communities about HTSP in churches, mosques,schools, workplace, community events.
Help the media disseminate information on HTSP
HTSP: A Small Change that ProducesBig Results
Reducing closelyspaced pregnancies.
Timing pregnancies atthe best age possible.
Contributing to thehealthiest outcomesfor mothers, babies,families andcommunities.
Implementing HTSP in (YourCommunity)
What opportunities and mechanisms exist for implementingthis simple, yet life-saving message?
Final Thoughts
We know what works to savewomen’s and children’slives.
We must muster the will todo it
Acknowledgements