Experts in maternal and perinatal medicine have called for stronger antenatal care services and early pregnancy registration to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths in Nigeria and across Africa.
The call was made at the 2nd International Congress of Ultrasound and Perinatal Medicine organised by the African Perinatal Society (APS) in Kano.
The congress, themed “Synergy in Practice: Transforming Perinatal Outcomes Through Obstetrics and Neonatal Partnerships,” brought together specialists, healthcare professionals, researchers and policymakers from Nigeria and other countries.
President of the APS, Prof. Aliu Labaran Tayebu, said the congress was convened to explore practical strategies for reducing maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality.
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Tayebu, a consultant obstetrician-gynaecologist and lecturer at Bayero University Kano, said the society was established in Nigeria in 2016 as an offshoot of the International Academy of Perinatal Medicine.
He noted that the first congress was also held in Kano in 2016 and said the current gathering was focused on strengthening skills and improving the quality of care available to pregnant women and newborns.
According to him, participants included doctors, nurses and midwives drawn from primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities, including those serving rural communities.
“We hope this will change practice and improve the quality of care given to pregnant women and babies because that is the bane of our communities — lack of quality healthcare provision to save the lives of children and mothers,” he said.
Tayebu said the congress had already yielded practical benefits, including donations of medical equipment to healthcare facilities by some international participants.
He added that international experts had agreed to return to Nigeria from next year to conduct periodic training programmes for frontline healthcare workers.
The APS president also disclosed plans to establish research collaborations with international partners to generate evidence that could improve clinical practice and maternal health outcomes.
He said knowledge gained from the congress would be cascaded to primary healthcare facilities to reach health workers who were unable to attend the event.
A Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Maternal-Fetal Medicine from Finland, Beverly Stofanovich, identified late booking for antenatal care as a major obstacle to reducing maternal deaths in Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries.
Stofanovich said many life-saving maternal health interventions were relatively inexpensive but often ineffective when women presented late for care.
“The problem is awareness. Women should know that early antenatal care can lower the possibility of death during pregnancy and after birth,” she stressed.
According to her, early antenatal attendance enables healthcare providers to identify high-risk pregnancies and introduce preventive measures, including interventions for women at risk of pre-eclampsia.
She added that early care could help prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, manage diabetes during pregnancy and identify conditions that could lead to complications during childbirth.
Stofanovich stressed the importance of educating women and community health workers, particularly in rural areas where access to specialist services may be limited.
She noted that basic antenatal services provided by trained midwives could significantly improve outcomes if women sought care early.
In a goodwill message, UNICEF Health Manager, Dr Serekeberehan Seyoum, commended the APS for advancing maternal, fetal and neonatal health through research, training and collaboration.
Seyoum said the congress provided an important platform for healthcare professionals, researchers and policymakers to exchange knowledge, explore innovations and strengthen partnerships for improved perinatal care.
He particularly praised the focus on capacity building, practical skills and the use of modern technologies such as ultrasound and telemedicine.
According to him, the scientific sessions and hands-on training would strengthen healthcare systems, improve the capacity of frontline workers and contribute to efforts aimed at reducing maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality across Africa.
The congress featured lectures, practical sessions and training on fetal heart examination, fetal Doppler studies and neonatology, with participants expected to apply the knowledge acquired in their respective health facilities.
