Pregnancy School initiative lauded for reducing maternal mortality in Kwabre East

Residents, especially mothers in the Kwabre East Municipality of the Ashanti Region, have lauded the Ghana Health Service’s Pregnancy School initiative for its role in improving maternal healthcare delivery.

The initiative provides free, structured education, support and guidance to expectant mothers and their families on prenatal care, nutrition, danger signs in pregnancy and safe childbirth practices.

At the Peace Speciality Hospital at Mamponteng, the facility is using the school to reshape attitudes of pregnant women and their partners while creating a welcoming and informative environment for maternal health education.

Held every first week of the month, the September edition of the school was held on the premises of the hospital, with the session bringing together pregnant women and nursing mothers within and beyond Kwabre East Municipality, who were taken through various maternal health topics aimed at protecting the lives and well-being of mothers and their babies.

A key focus of the session was pre-eclampsia, which was identified as one of the dangerous conditions affecting pregnant women.

Speaking to JoyNews, Dr. Edmund Obeng, an Obstetrician at the Peace Speciality Hospital, said pre-eclampsia is a serious pregnancy-related high blood pressure condition that is increasingly affecting mothers and newborns across Ghana.

He disclosed that the rate of occurrence is rising at an alarming rate, stressing the need for health facilities to intensify education for early symptom recognition and timely medical intervention.

Dr. Obeng cautioned that missing regular antenatal check-ups prevents early detection of rising blood pressure and urged pregnant women to adhere to frequent hospital visits.

A Senior Surgeon and Specialist, Dr. Francis Osei Kofi also encouraged mothers to participate in the monthly health education for safe delivery, noting that regular hospital visits help in early detection of anomalies in pregnancy for prompt medical solutions.

As part of the event, awards were presented to dedicated mothers who regularly attend antenatal care and the pregnancy school.

Husbands who consistently accompany their spouses to the facility were also commended and presented with gifts.

Some beneficiaries shared testimonies about the impact of the initiative.

Assa Assif, a mother of three, testified that the Pregnancy School has been of great help to her, explaining that the education has given her a better understanding of pregnancy and the need to report to the hospital in case of any anomaly. She encouraged other pregnant women to participate for their own safety and that of their babies.

Elizabeth Yeboah, also a beneficiary, said the school helps demystify labour and delivery, which lowers anxiety and helps reduce unnecessary medical interventions such as caesarean sections.

The Kwabre East Municipal Health Director, Mrs. Elsie Kissi-Appiah, during the launch of the Pregnancy School at the hospital in July, underscored its significance across health facilities in the municipality, disclosing that the initiative has helped reduce maternal mortality.