Innovative centre helps cut pregnancy risks in Trichy

Trichy: Five months since its inception, the maternal and child health centre (MCHC) of the public health department in Trichy has started yielding results in reducing maternal mortality in the district. The centre has recorded only two deaths of high-risk mothers since February, down from seven in the corresponding period last year.
Trichy recorded 10,089 deliveries from February to July, of which 4,458 mothers were in the high-risk category.A centre to closely track high-risk antenatal care (ANC) mothers was set up at the instance of district collector M Pradeep Kumar following the maternal mortality rate (MMR) of 67 recorded in 2023-24. This was a big jump from the 48 deaths of ANC mothers in 2022-23.

“The decline in the number can be attributed to the focused follow-up on pregnant mothers by the exclusive team,” deputy director of health services (DDHS) Dr A Subramani told TOI. He said the deaths of two pregnant mothers were due to serious, unavoidable medical complications. The MCHC collects data on high-risk ANC mothers registered with 95 govt health centres, including MGMGH, taluk govt hospitals and primary health centres in urban and rural areas, as well as over 340 private health centres, and closely track them.
The list comprises pregnant women from the first trimester to the last. Mothers are shortlisted within 20 days of their expected date of delivery (EDD).
“Six nurses at the centre will be calling each and every high-risk ANC mother on a weekly basis,” said nodal officer Dr A Aravinth Kumar. Shortlisted women with 20 days of EDD get daily calls. The women are advised to get admitted to hospital ten days before EDD, he said. “However, many won’t go to the hospital ten days in advance,” DDHS Subramani said. “We make it happen, reducing the risk of complications,” he added.
Apart from village health nurses (VHNs), anganwadi workers of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) services and workers from the social welfare department are also enlisted for the task. ICDS workers meet mothers with lower weight and higher-order births and advise them to consume nutritious food. “Sometimes, ANC mothers will shy away, but we convince them to follow all medications, take scans and have healthy food,” said ICDS project officer M Nithya.
“Mostly, pregnant women cooperate with the health department staff. In some cases of non-cooperation, we ask ICDS and social welfare staff to meet the pregnant women and convince them to follow the advice,” said Dr Aravinth Kumar said. “Though pregnancy itself is a risk, we are making all possible efforts to sustain the reducing trend of MMR,” DDHS Subramani said.