maternal and infant health

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Maternal and newborn health: A death every 7 seconds

Health, News

Decreasing investment in maternal and newborn health has stalled global progress in reducing deaths of pregnant women, mothers and babies since 2015. According to a new by the United Nations over 4.5 million women and babies die every year during…

Health-e News
May 9, 2023

Mothers speak out on infant loss: ‘To this day, I don’t know why my baby died’

Features, Women's Health

It’s every pregnant woman’s dream to go home with a healthy baby, but what happens to her psychological wellbeing when her baby dies — either at birth or days after? Hospital-run support groups may help the grieving process, reports OurHealth journalist Marcia Zali.

Marcia Moyana
April 7, 2020

Woman loses baby after four days of labour at South Rand Hospital

News

A grieving woman questions why hospital staff refused to perform a caesarean section despite her pleas.

Marcia Moyana
March 23, 2020

Claims of xenophobia at Limpopo hospital

News

Mother of twins alleges discrimination on the basis of nationality by Letaba Hospital staff, which resulted in her going into labour on hospital floor.

Mogale Mojela
January 28, 2020

Pregnant women and mothers happy with MomConnect

Our Health

OurHealth journalist, Marcia Zali finds out about the experiences women and mothers are having using a messaging service.

Marcia Moyana
November 8, 2019

High infant death rate in ‘dysfunctional’ ward

Our Health

The infant mortality rate at the Pelonomi Regional Hospital in Bloemfontein, Free State, is almost three times higher than the national average - and many of these deaths could have been avoided.

Piet Motaung
October 26, 2018

Breastfeeding’s protections last into old age

Health, Women's Health

Recent research suggests that breast milk can protect newborns from developing obesity and diabetes later in life.

Amy Green
September 15, 2016

Losing a child to HIV

Health, Our Health

After her first child died of AIDS and she miscarried her second, Melita enrolled in the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission programme and saved her third.

Free maternal healthcare saving lives in Lesotho

News

Free maternal healthcare service in Lesotho introduced by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is drastically curbing deaths during labour and delivery.

sibongilenkosi
June 17, 2016

Report: StatsSa’s perinatal deaths report

Health

The latest Statistics South Africa report shows that more than 22,000 infants died in 2013 and that about half of these deaths occurred within the first seven days of life.

healthe
April 17, 2015

[Updated] Moms connect with MomConnect programme

Our Health, Women's Health

Shoshanguve mums say they are connecting with the Department of Health’s new MomConnect SMS service.

tshilidzituwani
April 16, 2015

Emergency medical services leave patients stranded

Health, Health Systems, News

Women in Mpumalanga are teaching themselves to deliver babies because there is such a dire shortage of ambulances, which take up to six hours to respond to calls.

sibongilenkosi
August 22, 2014

Dobsonville baby’s death reveals faults in system

Health, Health Systems, News, Our Health

The Gauteng Department of Health has promised to fix electrical wiring at Dobsonville’s Itireleng Community Health Centre by the end of this week following a public outcry over a baby’s death, but the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) says there are larger issues.

lungilethamela
June 26, 2014

BLOG: Am I excreting butter?

Health, News

Our rural community service doctor is well into her first week on Tim Noakes' Banting diet as she deals with life and death in the maternity ward.

Lace
May 23, 2014

BLOG: An out-of-body experience

Health, Women's Health

Our rural doctor takes a break from blogging about banting to relive the heartache and trauma of coming face-to-face with infant mortality in rural South Africa.

Lace
May 22, 2014

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