BSN 2B - C

WHY DID
MRS X
DIED?
SUMMARY
This is a story about Mrs. X who dies in a
small hospital while 8 months pregnant.
Mrs. X represents a universal mother,
who walks in the same pathway of
pregnancy and encounters the same
barrier as she is. The doctor who
examined her has no doubt the she died
due to haemorrhage, but Mrs. X didn’t
die only of a haemorrhage, she also died
from social injustice. As the number of
dying mothers grew, staff opened and
reviewed Mrs. X files and found two
striking points.
 First, She arrived at the hospital bleeding
heavily but received only half a litter of
blood. Second, She needed a caesarean
section but the resources were limited, the
operation took 3 hours too late. And as they
visit Mrs. X community they found other
reasons about her death. Mrs. X has a
history of bleeding early in her pregnancy
but wasn’t aware about the danger of the
situation as she was never warned about
this and no action was taken. She also had
only one antenatal visit and suffered from
chronic iron deficiency anaemia caused by
malnutrition.
They also found out that it took her six hours
to reach the hospital because she had to
collect money for her transportation. These
barriers should have been avoided if there were
equal rights for boys and girls regarding their
education, food, resources and staff for
maternity care and better reproductive health
services. For a woman like Mrs. X, she was
unable to choose when and if to become
pregnant as it was her only value she had to
her family and community was to produce
children. If only gender equality was taken
seriously at that time she would have received
the same education, food & nutrition and
health care as the man in her time.
Along the pathway of her pregnancy Mrs. X
faces barriers that prevented her from
receiving the care she needed. Each could
have been removed and yet many or all these
barriers remain along the roads taken by
women today.
REFLECTION AND
LEARNING
INSIGHTS
Her community lacks proper education and
support about these issues as it was also
stated that she lacks antenatal care, and she
could have been treated if it had been
recognized. The reflection and learning
insights that we have gained from this video is
that it is important to have basic knowledge
when it comes to maternal health by giving
lectures to young women, and to be educated
about reproductive health since bearing a
child is not a joke. Most importantly, women
equality was also emphasised and must be
given importance, since, in this video as Mrs X
was not treated equally with her brothers, and
it was said that if, and only if, Mrs X receive
Due to several barriers that were encountered by Mrs.
X, all throughout her life and pregnancy, hence, it led
to unfortunate outcomes. Through the retelling of Mrs.
X’s case, we all have been reminded of the importance
of knowing the current status of our health. To be
specific, one, if there had been enough access to good
maternity services, especially for pregnant women like
Mrs. X, she and her baby would have received proper
care, such as having their nutritional status monitored
by a midwife or physician. Furthermore, if it weren’t
for the traditions, particularly that of unfair treatment
between men and women, they would have gained
knowledge about what should they do when they get
pregnant, such as, how often should they go for
antenatal visits and if they are suffering from other
conditions which could add to possible complications
throughout the pregnancy
 Mrs. X suffered a variety of difficulties as a
result of the barriers she had to face.The
learning insights we have gained in this video is
that it is important to be physically and
mentally prepared for childbirth or becoming a
mother. Every facility should have adequate
medical care, including equipment, staff that are
well trained, and enough medications to support
these types of cases because this will help to
reduce problems
The mortality rate could have been
decreased or avoided if the government did
not overlook our care system, especially
for pregnant mothers and newborns. As a
student nurse who knows and is aware of
this situation, I will advocate for the
proper and just healthcare system for
everyone, especially for those who are in
remote areas. I will start by educating my
family members and family friends, and
hopefully to educate my community as well.
AS A FUTURE NURSE, HOW WILL YOU
IMPROVE THE MATERNAL AND
INFANT HEALTH AND TO AVOID
MORTALITY/ MORBIDITY OF THE
MOTHER AND CHILD.
AS FUTURE NURSES IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GAIN
ADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO PROVIDE
GOOD QUALITY MATERNAL AND INFANT HEALTH CARE.
NURSES ARE ALSO EDUCATORS, AS FUTURE NURSES
THE PROMOTION OF ANTENATAL VISITS TO DETECT
EARLY PROBLEMS HELPS IN REDUCING SEVERE
COMPLICATIONS AND EVEN DEATH OF CHILDREN AND
MOTHERS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, EDUCATING
PREGNANT WOMEN ABOUT THE DANGER SIGNS OF
PREGNANCY WILL HELP THEM KNOW WHEN TO SEEK
MEDICAL CARE. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES SHOULD
ALSO BE UPDATED AND SUPPLIES LIKE BLOOD AND
MEDICATIONS SHOULD BE SECURED AND SHOULD BE
GIVEN TO PREGNANT WOMEN
WE ALSO MUST CONDUCT MORE ANTENATAL
CARE VISITS BECAUSE DURING THESE VISITS, THE
PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD BE GIVEN
NUTRITIONAL ADVICE, ALERTED TO WARNING
SIGNS INDICATING POSSIBLE PROBLEMS DURING
THEIR TERM, AND GIVEN SUPPORT WHEN
PLANNING A SAFE DELIVERY.
ASIDE FROM ASSISTING IN TAKING CARE OF PREGNANT
WOMEN, WHAT WE CAN MAINLY IMPLEMENT IS OUR
ROLE AS EDUCATORS. WE CAN START BY, TEACHING
THEM THE PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF BEING ABLE
TO ATTEND THE RECOMMENDED NUMBER OF
ANTENATAL VISITS. MOREOVER, DURING THEIR VISITS,
WE CAN ALSO APPLY WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED, LIKE
THE LEOPOLD’S MANEUVER, BECAUSE IN THAT WAY,
WE CAN INFORM THE MOTHER WITH REGARDS TO
INFORMATION SUCH AS HER BABY’S POSITION, AS IT
MAY ALSO HELP IN CASES, LIKE IDENTIFYING
WHETHER SHE’D BE ABLE TO DELIVER NORMALLY OR
IF IT WOULD BE RECOMMENDED FOR HER TO
UNDERGO A CESAREAN SECTION PROCEDURE
WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE A SPECIFIC DUTY TO SUPPORT
THEM AND TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RESOURCES
NECESSARY TO REDUCE MATERNAL MORTALITY AND
INCREASE ACCESS TO FAMILY PLANNING. DURING THEIR
PREGNANCY, WE SHOULD VISIT THEM TO ENSURE THE
WELLBEING OF MOTHERS AND NEWBORNS AND TO
CONDUCT ANTENATAL CARE DURING PREGNANCY TO
PROMOTE, PROTECT, AND MAINTAIN THE HEALTH OF
THE MOTHER DURING THE PREGNANCY. TO ENSURE THE
BIRTH OF A MATURE AND HEALTHY BABY. AND TO
IDENTIFY HIGH-RISK MOTHERS AND GIVE THEM
APPROPRIATE ATTENTION TO PREVENT COMPLICATIONS.
WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO HAVE REGULAR
CHECKUPS AT THE HOSPITAL OR RHU
WE ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING QUALITY CARE
TO OUR CLIENTS WHICH INCLUDE MATERNAL AND NEWBORN
CARE. BEFORE THEIR CONCEPTION, WE SHOULD PROVIDE
THEM WITH ADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE REGARDING
CONTRACEPTION AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO EFFECTIVE
FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES TO PREVENT UNINTENDED
PREGNANCIES AND UNNECESSARY ABORTIONS. WE SHOULD
ALSO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING GOOD
NUTRITION AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO CONSUME ADEQUATE
AMOUNTS OF SUPPLEMENTS TO REDUCE NEURAL TUBE
DEFECTS. VACCINATIONS AND EARLY ACCESS TO HIGH-
QUALITY CARE THROUGHOUT PREGNANCY, LABOR, AND
DELIVERY SHOULD ALSO BE PROVIDED. AND LASTLY,
EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS OF
BREASTFEEDING AND PROVIDING INFORMATION REGARDING
WELL-BABY CARE
 WE NEED ALSO TO ADVOCATE FOR A PROPER AND
JUST HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND DEMAND OUR
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FUND AND SUPPORT OUR
HEALTH SYSTEM. BY DOING THESE, EVERY LOCAL
HEALTH CLINIC AND THE HOSPITAL WOULD HAVE
ENOUGH SUPPLIES AND MACHINES TO TAKE CARE OF
THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY,
WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS TO RESEARCH TO
IMPROVE OUR OWN MATERNAL AND INFANT HEALTH.
WE COULD ALSO USE OUR EXTRA FUNDING AND
RESOURCES TO EDUCATE MOTHERS WHO LIVE IN
REMOTE AREAS ON HOW TO PROPERLY TAKE CARE OF
THEMSELVES DURING THEIR PREGNANCY, AND TO
EDUCATE THEM ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDICINES
AND VACCINES
LASTLY, WE AS A FUTURE NURSES ARE ALSO KNOWN FOR OUR WELL
BEING, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY THAT’S WHY WE HAVE THE
ABILITY TO THINK WHAT IS RIGHT AND TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. IF AND
ONLY IF WE CAN TEACH PEOPLE ESPECIALLY THE MOTHERS OF EVERY
ESSENTIAL DETAILS OF PREGNANCY WHICH INCLUDES MATERNAL AND
NEW BORN CARE THEY COULD BRACE AWARENESS AND STAND FOR
THEIR RIGHTS . AS A STUDENT NURSE WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
HEALTH TEACHINGS, HEALTH PROMOTION AND QUALITY CARE TO THE
HUMANITY AND I WILL BRING THESE ASPECTS TO UPLIFT HEALTHCARE
SYSTEM FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR COUNTRY AND TO ITS PEOPLE,
EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF REGULAR CHECK UPS, PROPER
NUTRITION, ON TIME AND COMPLETE VACCINATIONS AND LASTLY THE
PROPER SANITATION THAT WILL SURELY AFFECT TO THE HEALTH OF
THE MOTHER AND THE BABY. BECAUSE REMEMBER, WE ARE THEIR
VOICE. WE ARE THE REPRESENTATION OF THEIR NEEDS AND FOR ME IT
IS OWE TO SATISFY THEIR NEEDS NOT ONLY IN OUR COMMUNITY, NOT
ONLY IN OUR INSTITUTION BUT IN THE LONG RUN WE WILL MAKE IT
THROUGH THE WHOLE REGION.