World Health Day: Maternal and Newborn Health

In this article, we discuss World Health Day. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is a United Nations agency dedicated to global health and safety, aiming to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable, ensuring everyone has the highest possible level of health. This year focuses on the importance of maternal and newborn health and urges global action to end preventable deaths and improve women’s long-term health and well-being. The article will also look at the effects of PFAS on pregnancy and childbirth.

World Health Day: Maternal and Newborn Health

World Health Day celebrated annually on April 7th, is an initiative by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness about global health issues. Each year, the WHO selects a theme to focus on, and this year’s theme is Healthy beginnings, hopeful future, which promotes maternal and newborn health. This year-long campaign highlights the importance of ensuring that mothers and their newborns receive the health care they need for a healthy start to life.

According to the WHO, there were approximately 287,000 women who died during pregnancy or childbirth in 2020. Most deaths could have been prevented, and the disparity between rich and deprived areas of the world is startling, with almost 95% of maternal deaths occurring in low to lower middle-income countries.

The Importance of Maternal and Newborn Health

Maternal and newborn health is a cornerstone of public health. It is crucial because:

• Early Development: The health of mothers and their newborns significantly influences early childhood development and long-term health outcomes.
• Mortality Rates: Reducing maternal and newborn mortality rates is essential for improving global health. Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death among women of reproductive age in developing countries.
• Economic Impact: Healthy mothers and children contribute to more robust, economically stable communities, thus impacting national and global economic health.

Key Challenges to Maternal Health

Despite progress in some areas, significant challenges remain:

• Access to Care: Many women, especially in low-income and rural areas, lack access to essential healthcare services during pregnancy and childbirth.
• Quality of Care: Even when services are available, the quality of care can be inconsistent, impacting health outcomes.
• Education and Awareness: There is a need for increased education and awareness about maternal and newborn health care practices.

Emerging Challenges of PFAS in Maternal & Newborn Health

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals that have been used in various industrial and consumer products for decades. These substances are persistent in the environment and human body, leading to concerns about their potential impact on health.

Health Implications of PFAS

PFAS chemicals have been associated with adverse health outcomes in both pregnant mothers and infants. A growing body of research suggests that PFAS transfers from mother to foetus through the placenta, leading to in-utero exposure. Emory-led research was the first to detect ‘forever chemicals’ in newborns.

Current peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that exposure to certain levels of PFAS may lead to:

• Reproductive effects: PFAS can cause decreased fertility.
• Abnormal foetal development: PFAS can cause abnormal foetal development, including low birth weight, bone variations, and behavioural changes.
• Gestational hypertension: Pregnant women exposed to PFAS have an increased risk of gestational hypertension.
• Hormone disruption: PFAS are endocrine disrupters and can cause early puberty in girls.

Addressing PFAS Concerns

To mitigate the impact of PFAS on health, several strategies can be taken:

• Regulation and Monitoring: Governments and health organisations need to establish strict regulations and guidelines to control PFAS use and monitor its presence in the environment.
• Public Awareness: Increasing public awareness about PFAS and ways to minimise exposure can empower individuals to make safer choices.
• Research and Innovation: Continued research is essential to better understand PFAS health impacts and develop safer alternatives for industrial and consumer applications.

How Arvia can help to Tackle Water-Related Challenges

Arvia’s advanced Nyex Rosalox™ and Ellenox ™ electrochemical water treatment systems can remove agrochemicals, insecticides, herbicides, battery chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and solvents from water, making it suitable for re-use.

They achieve this without creating toxic waste products like some legacy systems. Plant is flexible in physical size too, making it suitable for retrofitting into existing manufacturing setups.

In addition, Arvia has just released its breakthrough technology Nyex Florenox™, which destroys PFAS at source, without generating any secondary waste. Follow this link for more information.

Looking Towards the Future

World Health Day serves as a reminder of the ongoing need to address global health challenges and ensuring everyone has the highest possible level of health.

By focusing on maternal and newborn health regional inequalities, and tackling the risks posed by environmental contaminants like PFAS, we can work toward a healthier, more equitable world.

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