Haryana govt to organise antenatal week from Dec 15

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij today said that a special antenatal week will be organised in the state from December 15 to 19 to check every pregnant woman and identify high risk cases in them.
The special antenatal week titled 'Surakshit Janani Saptah' will be organized on quarterly basis to cover all areas of the state, he said.
Vij said that Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and other health workers will mobilise and bring pregnant women of their areas at the sub-centre for checkups.
"After check ups, high risk pregnant cases will be identified in them," he said.
Women with highest risk pregnancies would be issued Mother and Child Protection Cards, referral slips and would also be referred to district hospital free of cost, the minister said.

At each district hospital special "High Risk Pregnancy Unit" (HRPU) has been established, he said.

"The motto of this week is to get the high risk pregnancy cases managed and delivered at institution by a specialist, thereby reducing mortality and stillbirth rates," he said.
In Haryana, about 5.5 lakh women become pregnant every year. Out of these, approximately 80,000 (15 per cent) are high risk cases.
In these high risk cases, the mother or foetus has a significantly increased chance of death or disability, the minister said.
"To reduce Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), these high risk cases need preferential, timely, adequate and complete services on priority basis during antenatal, intranatal and postnatal period," he said.