Why Women Should Have ‘Well Planned’ Pregnancies

Married women should take the proper precautionary measures and ensure that their pregnancies are “well-planned” for a safe birth-giving and avoiding infant and maternal deaths.

In the Facebook page of Dr. Willie Ong, an internist and cardiologist, he states that it is important that pregnant mothers or their partners have knowledge in planning pregnancies, especially if the mother belong in the “high-risk” category of pregnancy.

A pregnancy is considered high-risk when there are potential complications that could affect the mother, the baby, or both.

High-risk pregnancies require management by a medical specialist to help ensure the best outcome for the mother and baby.

Conditions such as high blood pressure; breathing, kidney, or heart problems; diabetes; autoimmune disease; sexually transmitted diseases (STDs); or chronic infections such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can present risks for the mother and/or her unborn baby.

A history of miscarriage, problems with a previous pregnancy or pregnancies, or a family history of genetic disorders are also risk factors for a high-risk pregnancy.

Women who are under age 18 or over 35 years old when their baby is due are at greater risk of complications.

Dr. Ong said that in case of high-risk pregnancies, a pregnant mother should not give birth in a lying-in center but preferably in a government hospital.

Another of his advice is there should be at least three years interval after giving birth to give time for the mother to recover from her last pregnancy.

He also said that part of the planning are enrolling in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and where they intend to give birth, the choice of the doctor (OB-Gyne), and of course making “savings” for other related expenses.

He also said that it is important that mothers should be watchful of the warning signs such as excessive bleeding, lack of baby’s movement inside the womb, severe abdominal pain.

Dr. Ong came out with the “tips” to avoid repetition of incidents of infant deaths due to factors like “high-risk pregnancy” among mothers which can be avoidable.

In his FB page, Dr. Ong shared his interview with a young couple whose baby died before reaching East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC) in Quezon City because it was not taken there early enough due to some factors.

In an earlier post which went viral but was later removed from FB, the father of the baby narrated that an intern doctor in a private hospital in Manila where he earlier brought his wife had told him that the money he had was not enough to cover other expenses (laboratories, etc.) for the caesarian operations to be done on his wife.

In the same post which was seen Tuesday, the father said that the doctor then suggested that it would be a best option for him to immediately transfer his wife to a government hospital, preferably EAMC.

Aware that the money he had was not enough, he said he requested that his wife be given the chance to give birth in the same hospital while he was producing the additional amount needed.

The doctor explained to him the hospital policy and insisted he should transfer the mother to the government hospital at the soonest possible time.

Instead of bringing his wife to EAMC right away, the husband proceeded to Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMC), also in Manila, because it is much nearer.

However, due to “unavailability” of vacant incubator in JRRMC at that time, they were left with no choice but to go back to the same private hospital where they pleaded for the second time to be accommodated.

When the couple was refused anew, they were forced to proceed to the EAMC in Quezon City. However, the baby was already dead when they reached the QC hospital.

The baby was the second sibling of the young couple.

Meanwhile, in defense of the private hospital and the intern doctor who was alleged to have refused the patient, some doctors gave reactions and emphasized a “lesson” learned in that situation.

Dr. Nathalie Sumalde-Villarin, a pediatrician, said in her FB post that instead of putting the blame or pointing fingers as to who was wrong, it is important that women who are pregnant or plan to get pregnant should have a plan ahead.

Dr. Villarin stressed that having plans ahead will lead to deciding where particular hospitals they can give birth and get the necessary help they need in case it will be required.

Villarin that such preparations should be a “responsibility” of any parent/couple because it will take months before a baby is born.

On the part of the private hospital, she said that the doctor should not be blamed because the doctor only was only following the existing system in the hospital.

She further said that it is unfortunate and unfair that the physician being put in bad light is still Ob-Gyne Resident Trainee in the private hospital and just following the protocols.

She added that while it is painful to lose a baby, it is also equally painful for a young medical doctor to be blamed and condemned in the social networking sites.

She said it is sad that the “OB-Gyn Trainee” is being accused of being only “after the money and not the welfare of the patient.” She added that is an unfair accusation — because the intern doctor being hit in the social media is not receiving any cents in rendering her services but instead just depending on her allowance.

In that situation, Dr. Villarin said the trainee doctor cannot shoulder the costs that will be incurred by the patient who does not have sufficient money to pay for the required services.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ong said it is important that everyone in the private sector will help fellow Filipinos, particularly pregnant mothers, to be aware of the “tips” he earlier shared as guide during pregnancy.

On his part, he added that he and his fellow doctors have been extending free consultation since 2007 for the poor and engaging in medical missions without asking any fees as a way to help their fellow Filipinos.

He also appealed to private hospitals to be “considerate” in accepting emergency cases even if the patients are not well-off.

“Malulugi nga kayo ng kaunti pero makatutulong naman kayo sa pasyente,” Dr. Ong said.

He also said that government hospitals should also speak up and reform the “existing wrong system” in terms of accepting patients, especially during emergency cases.

“Kailangan nating magsalita laban sa maling sistema. Kailangan nating ipaglaban ang karapatan ng pasyente. Kung hindi tayo magsasalita, sino ang magsasalita para sa mga pasyente?,” he added

He also called on the Department of Health (DOH) to ensure that there will be enough facilities (for example, incubators) in government-run hospitals to accommodate the patients needing them.

“Kailangang punuin ang kakulangan sa gamit sa mga ospital. Kailangan ding paigtingin ang payo sa buntis dahil hindi ito umaabot sa tao. Malaki ang responsibilidad ng gobyerno sa usaping ito,” he added. (PNA) SCS/LSJ/RSM