SENIOR medical officer at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital (VJH), Dr Orville Morgan, has raised concern about what he said was the high rate of stillbirths at the island’s major maternity institution.
Dr Morgan highlighted the concern while bringing greetings at yesterday’s International Day of Midwifery celebratory function at the downtown Kingston institution.
While not giving a number, he said the hospital’s rate of stillbirths — a term for babies born with no signs of life at or after 24 weeks of pregnancy — is twice as high as it was in the past.
“Where we have a problem significantly now is the very high level of stillbirths in this community from where we sit. I am not aware of the national figures in terms of our stillbirth rate. At Victoria Jubilee Hospital we have a relatively high stillbirth rate,” he said.
“There are many reasons, many postulates where the research part comes in. We have to do research to know what we are dealing with. Suffice it to say that stillbirth is twice as high as it was in the past. So where we have been making progress, in terms of our neonatal mortality rate, because our stillbirth rates are so high the mortality rates remain the same,” Morgan said.
According to the World Bank, Jamaica’s annual neonatal mortality rate has hovered around 12 per 1,000 live births over the last three years. This is down from 13, per 1,000 live births over 2011 and 2012.
Yesterday, Dr Morgan called on the midwives to lead research in determining the cause of the high level of stillbirths.
“This is where the community midwifery comes into play. What is happening to our ladies out in the community before they reach to Victoria Jubilee Hospital in terms of their pregnancy? Why is that so many pregnancies are ending this way?” he asked.
“ …We need to be cognisant of these facts so as we go forward… what is going to be a good outcome of whatever we do must be based on good scientific foundation. And so the study and understanding of what we are doing is extremely important. Unless we know why things are happening in a truly scientific way, we can’t really attack the problem,” Morgan added.
Meanwhile, Jacqueline Ellis, acting chief executive officer for VJH and Kingston Public Hospital, said having a day set aside for midwives was quite fitting.
“We can testify to the important role they play in the delivery of quality care and services. We are also happy that the association has chosen to share this special moment with the Victoria Jubilee Hospital and I can understand why,” Ellis said.
Ellis, while saluting the midwives, reminded them that VJH is a “premier” hospital for women’s health in the Caribbean.
President of the Jamaica Midwives Association, Aseta Edwards Hamilton, urged the Government to invest more in that field of care.
International Day of Midwifery was observed under the theme ‘Women and Newborns: the Heart of Midwifery’.