Impact of Maternal Death on Living Children in Rural Malawi

Objective: To demonstrate the burden of maternal deaths on children, family, and community in order to raise awareness of the true costs of maternal mortality and poor maternal health care in Neno, a very rural, district, in Malawi.

Data/Methods: Qualitative in-depth interview data was collected to assess a range of outcomes affecting child well-being and to explore the extent of any disproportionate morbidity and mortality for children who have lost their mother. We conducted 20 key informant interviews, 20 stakeholder interviews, and 6 focus group discussions in 7 health centers in a catchment area covering all the 4 Traditional Authorities (TAs) in the district.

Results:

Index children often suffered the most immediate impacts of maternal death, requiring immediate physical care and nutritional support, particularly if the mother died during or soon after childbirth and was not able to breastfeed the child. While the older children were often brought together into the care of one female relative, the index child was frequently brought under the care of a different guardian who could provide extra support and additional care for the infant.  Challenges meeting nutrition, education, and health care standards, and the perpetuation of gender inequalities, significantly impact the health, well-being, and opportunities available to older children and adolescents after a maternal death has occurred.

 

Conclusion:

The implementation of evidence-based policies and program to reduce maternal mortality and comprehensively support child health and social protection needs are extremely important in order to significantly reduce the burden for society associated with maternal death.