Dear ProLife Colleague, AAPLOG is not just anti-elective-abortion, we are strongly pro-women’s high standard healthcare. As high as possible, given the variety of international and cultural settings that must be dealt with in medical care situations (I worked in rural Bangladesh for 10 years—worked with very different standards than were possible in my practice in Holland, Michigan—do the best possible was our motto.) A huge and devastating reality in our world is the disparity across the nations in maternal mortality (defined: Maternal mortality is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy). Most of these death occur relative to the birthing process. In Africa, the rate of maternal mortality is 50 times that in the US or Europe- in some individual countries, it is almost 100 times the US rate. This tragedy cries out to be addressed by the medical community. The approach of many NGO’s and UN type organizations is to make legal abortion accessible to everyone everywhere. (of course, with inadequate medical infrastructure, many of these women would die of complications in the worlds villages, jungles, or slums, and never be counted a “maternal mortalities-thus making statistics on delivery-related mortalities look more impressive—less deliveries equals less mortality). However, life-affirming medical practice would focus on the major causes of maternal mortality: hemorrhage, infection, hypertensive crises, obstructed labor. Programs emphasizing providing trained birth attendants and prenatal education have been very effective. Read about the “Safe Passages” program at https://www.aaplog.org/global-womens-health-research-symposium/ Click on the PDF. Also see the extensive reference material on the topic at https://www.aaplog.org/international-issues/ Residency directors: there is abundant material here for a project for your residents to tackle on maternal mortality issues! Jdc/aaplog
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