A dear friend and recent new mother came to visit a couple weeks ago from her adopted new home of the Netherlands, placed there by her Dutch husband’s astronomy career. Two and a half years ago, they were living in Cape Town, South Africa, a stark contrast to the Netherlands in many ways, especially in her experience as an expecting mother in both countries. To her surprise, after her hospital birth in Holland, a personal nurse came to her house for a week after the delivery to help with childcare, motherhood and the many household adjustments that surround starting a family. A boon for any new mom!
Of course, this generous maternal nurturing is a far cry from the norm, even in this country. Worldwide maternal and childbirth related deaths are on the decline, but nearly half of under-five child deaths are newborns. Not surprisingly, 99 percent of these deaths occur in developing countries. But startlingly, most of these deaths could be prevented. Mothers in poor countries may not have adequate resources or access to health related information about pregnancy and childbirth. Read More