Maternal health care focus in Bolivian campaign.

Abstract

Maternal health care is one of the focuses of Bolivia's new reproductive health campaign. The campaign, which uses television, radio and print media to get its message across, has the slogan "Your health is in your hands." Prenatal and postnatal care, as well as safe delivery, form one of the campaign's target areas. Others are family planning, breast-feeding, and the prevention of illegal abortions. The Bolivian campaign, which has a logo showing a child's tiny hand grasping a parent's finger, is supported by the Population Communication Services project of the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, US. Bolivia has the highest maternal mortality in the western hemisphere. "The need to create an awareness of reproductive health is vital, with the risk of a Bolivian woman dying during pregnancy or childbirth 60 times that for a woman in Europe or the US," according to Dr. Phyllis Piotrow, director of Johns Hopkins' Center for Communication Programs. Further, Bolivia has the second highest infant mortality rate in the western hemisphere after Haiti.