Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A), Jan. 26, GNA - Maternal mortality has dropped from five cases in 2007 to four in 2008 in Dormaa district in Brong Ahafo whilst stillbirth cases have rather assumed an upward trend. This was contained in a reproductive and child health service report of the Dormaa health district, presented by the Municipal Public Health Nurse, Mrs. Veronica Asamoah-Tortoe at an annual review meeting at Dormaa-Ahenkro.

The report said that 2008 witnessed 109 stillbirths as against 94 in 2007, indicating that 70 of them were macerated and the remaining 39 fresh.

Mrs. Asamoah-Tortoe noted that the inexplicable macerated stillbirths could be attributed to predisposal factors including the inability of pregnant women to determine the level of foetal movement in the womb. She announced that ante-natal attendance in the district rose in 2008 to 6,551 representing 89 percent of annual target set, while supervised delivery stood at 3,838, being 53 per cent of the year's target.

Mrs. Asamoah-Tortoe acknowledged the complementary role of traditional birth attendants and called for capacity building workshops and the provision of logistics for them to give of their best. She announced that a total of 933 girls aged between 15 and 19 were registered at the health facilities. The Municipal Public Health nurse assured the facilities of regular technical support and more refresher courses on safe motherhood, to adequately prepare midwives, traditional birth attendants and community health nurses for their tasks in 2009.

Mrs. Asamoah-Tortoe noted that safe motherhood messages, good nutrition, family planning as well as messages on risk factors to mothers during pregnancy were areas where care-givers should exploit to improve their performance. She reminded care-givers that delivering pregnant women of their babies required tactful but consistent approach, which should not be interrupted. Rachel Maternity Home, a private health facility at Wamanafo, near Wamfie in Dormaa-East district was commended at the review meeting for having 345 safe deliveries in 2008.