The Motherload – Navigating Safe Motherhood
Mothering is a hard gig! It brings equal challenges and rewards to all mums. In the Philippines, women start their families from a young age, with the average age being around 24 years for a first child. More than one million babies are born in the Philippines each year, making parenting a highly important role in society.
Safe Motherhood Week in the Philippines is an annual event that is observed in the second week in May. The event aims to promote safe motherhood practices and raise awareness about maternal and newborn health issues in the country. The theme for Safe Motherhood Week varies each year, but it always focuses on improving maternal health and reducing maternal mortality.
In recent years, the Philippines has been working to improve maternal and newborn health, with the government implementing various programs and initiatives to address the issue. Safe Motherhood Week serves as a platform for various stakeholders to come together and share information, experiences, and best practices on maternal and newborn health.
During Safe Motherhood Week, various activities are organized, including health education sessions, seminars, workshops, and community outreach programs. These activities are aimed at educating and empowering women and their families on the importance of safe motherhood practices and the steps they can take to ensure a healthy pregnancy and childbirth.
Currently, all Philippines-born babies are screened for five common conditions including congenital hypothyroidism, cystic fibrosis, amino acid disorders including phenylketonuria, organic acidemias and fatty acid oxidation defects.
For those who want to have the best possible start into motherhood, there are a range of things you can do to ensure that your baby is healthy, before you even meet them! Mothers wanting peace of mind about their baby can invest in a number of prenatal tests from EasyDNA Philippines. The prenatal suite includes:
Prenatal Peace – a non-invasive test, requiring no risky amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. The Prenatal Peace test screens for a number of genetic conditions and provides accurate results in a timely manner. This test is 100% safe, and screens for 18 genetic conditions, including Down syndrome, Turner’s syndrome and Trisomy 9. Starting at just 10 weeks of pregnancy and using only a maternal blood sample, this test can provide more accurate results compared to traditional screening methods. A standard blood draw is all that is required to undertake the DNA test; however it should be noted that this does not replace a diagnostic test.
Newborn Genetic Test – This NOVA test is suitable for newborns and children up to 5 years of age. NOVA screens for 50 inherited disorders, which have a combined prevalence rate of 1 in every 400 births. This unique test aims to achieve early detection, referral and treatment of all babies identified as high risk of these disorders.
Overall, Safe Motherhood Week in the Philippines is an important event that helps raise awareness and promote safe motherhood practices, which can ultimately lead to better maternal and newborn health outcomes in the country. Motherhood is a challenge but also an ultimate privilege – enjoy every moment!
