sanicas10_Burhaan Kinu_Hindustan Times via Getty Images

As duas melhores formas de reduzir a mortalidade infantil

Jul 31, 2018 Melvin Sanicas

BANGUECOQUE – Uma das metas mais ambiciosas dos Objectivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) das Nações Unidas é o compromisso de acabar com as mortes evitáveis de recém-nascidos e de crianças durante a próxima década. Se este objectivo for alcançado, em 2030 nenhum país terá uma taxa de mortalidade neonatal acima das 12 mortes por cada 1 000 nascimentos – o que representa um quarto da taxa actual em algumas zonas da África Subsariana.

Dada a magnitude do desafio, serão necessários grandes investimentos em infra-estruturas e no planeamento dos cuidados de saúde. A forma mais eficaz de reduzir a mortalidade infantil talvez seja incentivar a utilização de dois recursos imediatamente disponíveis: a vacinação materna e o leite materno.

A protecção das crianças contra a morte precoce começa antes do nascimento. Quando uma mulher é vacinada contra doenças comuns como a gripe, o seu corpo cria anti-corpos que reconhecem os vírus e estimulam as defesas naturais contra os agentes patogénicos. Quando engravida, estas proteínas protectoras são transferidas para o seu bebé através da placenta.

To continue reading, register now.

As a registered user, you can enjoy more PS content every month – for free.

Subscribe now for unlimited access to everything PS has to offer.

Already have an account? Log in

new comment has been posted. new comments have been posted.

0 Comments on this paragraph, 22 Comments on this article

Joyce . Aug 5, 2018

We truly are experiencing a decline in number of children breastfed solely by their mothers. This baby formula has not been helpful in any way. If the practice of breastfeeding is taken seriously, the practice could actually help reduce infant mortality in our country.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Barclay Bob Aug 5, 2018

Definitely true, if the international community is serious about meeting the health targets set by the SDGs, it must redouble its efforts to encourage more mothers to be vaccinated against preventable illnesses and to feed their newborn's breast milk. Without these two in place, we are not making much progress and infant mortality rate may just remain the way it is now or gets worse.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Billy . Aug 5, 2018

I know of someone who lost her child after birth. Doctor said she didn't take some vaccination like and all that even though we were always asking her to but she just kept procrastinating. l just wish people would take that serious.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Samantha . Aug 5, 2018

The reasons why people don't do exclusive breastfeeding can be because of lack of education and worst of all, the baby formula we find today.. These has really contributed to a decline in breastfeeding and it's not funny. Any women already going for the easy way out not minding that there are effects to this. I just wish there would be more campaigns promoting this healthy feeding.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Francisca . Aug 5, 2018

It's just disheartening that rates of breastfeeding and breast-milk consumption are well below desired levels. Only a small percent of infants worldwide is breastfed exclusively until they are at least six months old. This isn't really a good development because out children and women are the ones who would suffer the repercussions.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Larry Cole Aug 5, 2018

True, Breast milk is the perfect nutrition for a baby, providing all the proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that a young body needs to stay healthy. Best of all, mothers create new antibodies in real time, which help strengthen young immune systems. These benefits cannot be underestimated and so we shouldn't deprive our kids of that.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Lady Grasha Aug 5, 2018

Maternal immunization against some diseases actually help protect infants from those diseases that are a common cause of childhood mortality. In the clinic, when women come for help or advice or anything, I always advise them to go take some vaccines that I know would help their children in the long run. I just wish all medical professionals would do same.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Smith . Aug 5, 2018

Isn't it remarkable that the benefits of a mother taking immunization continues even after birth? True, some vaccines aren't approved for infants younger than six months old but clinical trials have shown that children born to mothers who have been vaccinated are better protected against the illness. I just don't know why some women still try to overlook this.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Johnny . Aug 4, 2018

I really think women should always be reminded that protecting children from early deaths begins before they are born. When a mother is vaccinated her body creates antibodies that recognize viruses and boost natural defenses. When she becomes pregnant, these protective proteins are transferred to her baby across the placenta. There's just no way we can escape the benefits.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Isabella . Aug 4, 2018

I agree that the most effective way to reduce infant mortality would be to encourage uptake of maternal vaccinations and breast milk. These are like the most important thing we need to bring the rate to the barest minimum.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Vivian ; Aug 4, 2018

This idea of women keeping fit or whatever that is making them stop breastfeeding at an early age is really causing more harm than good. They need to be given better orientation so they can stop this and so what's right to help reduce early death.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
kabirat - Aug 4, 2018

By 2030, it is possible that no country will have a neonatal mortality rate above 12 deaths per 1,000 births. But this is only going to be a mirage if we don't do what's necessary to make it work.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Rebecca Sharks Aug 4, 2018

My daughter's first child had pneumonia at an early age and I just concluded it was because she skipped her flu shot. It's terrible really and I don't wish that for anyone.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Alfie Chess Aug 4, 2018

The United Nations SDG to end preventable deaths of newborns and children over the next decade is realizable only if women are encouraged to take immunization and breastfeeding more seriously than they do now.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Ajas .. Aug 4, 2018

Preventing early childhood death is one of the main objectives of the global health community, no doubt. Huge investments in health-care infrastructure will surely be needed to achieve this goal, also encouraging women to do what they ought to would also go a long way.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Michelle . Aug 4, 2018

Definitely, with data from studies carried out in places, governments in under-developed and developing countries should be able to plan smarter immunization campaigns and substantially lower rates of infant morbidity and mortality. They just need to get the women on board and ensure they take this seriously.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Black Pearl Aug 4, 2018

I stopped breastfeeding my child at an early age. I was having some health issues so I had to. Though I had baby formula but I really didn't like the idea. I always advised that women should so exclusive breastfeeding if they can just to help save a lot of things.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Gabriella . Aug 4, 2018

It's no doubt that the highest returns will most likely come from encouraging maternal immunization and breastfeeding. There's just no way we can ignore these and expect to record less mortality rate. It's a simple logic and we can just try to encourage that.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Lillian Snow Aug 4, 2018

I've seen lots of cases of infant mortality which are not recorded, and to be honest it is quite alarming. I just wish there's a better way to get these women informed so that this will stop being a problem.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
cheskaj90 Aug 4, 2018

Well, as much as the United Nations have all the good intentions to improve healthcare over the next decade for the whole world, cooperation has to come from the constituents themselves. I for one would advocate on education on these would be mothers before anything else, this would improve their mindset and make them more proactive for both their own health and the health of their child. It's great that you were able to point out so many supporting sources to back your statements, hopefully the international community would be able to consider its efforts on education so we can address these problems and achieve the SDGs.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.
Michael Public Aug 3, 2018

How about education? Educated countries have no infant mortality problems regardless of whether they immunize and breastfeed, or not.
- Maria Lanie Reyes, PhD Aug 3, 2018
  
  In 2016, the infant mortality rate in the US was 5.9 deaths per 1,000 live births https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/infantmortality.htm. In Europe infant mortality rates ranges from 1.7 - 7.6 per 1,000 live births. https://www.ined.fr/en/everything_about_population/data/europe-developed-countries/birth-death-infant-mortality/
  A new reply to this comment has been posted.
A new reply to this comment has been posted.

https://prosyn.org/XfTT20Kpt

As duas melhores formas de reduzir a mortalidade infantil

Help us strengthen our reporting on global health and development by taking a short survey.

Stopping the Child Killers

New Comment

Email this piece to a friend

Contact us

Log in/Register

As duas melhores formas de reduzir a mortalidade infantil

Help us strengthen our reporting on global health and development by taking a short survey.

Edit Newsletter Preferences

Set up Notification