Maternal health is a field that focuses on the well-being of women while pregnant, during, childbirth, and throughout the postnatal period. Professionals in the fields of nursing and maternal health should be aware of the ever-changing cultural issues and trends. The nursing theory identifies cultural competence as an evidence-based practice whereby caregivers work in diverse settings, engage different relatives, and focus on patients’ cultural and social values (Amouzou et al., 2020). This approach has become critical in maternal healthcare and helps improve mothers’ health throughout the maternal period.
Within the past few decades, experts have developed and identified various components that can help transform the effectiveness of the care delivery approach. For instance, many settings are today characterized by enabling environments, skilled attendants who are aware of the experienced cultural dynamics, involvement of husbands and/or boyfriends, and the presence of effective referral systems. To ensure that timely results are recorded, theorists in maternal health go further to take the issues of nutrition, improved living conditions, and the presence of community workers seriously (Amouzou et al., 2020). Such aspects work synergistically to minimize most of the possible complications and ensure that more pregnant women and mothers achieve their health goals.
The nature of maternal health has transformed in such a way that it integrates both maternal health and pediatric care. The medical outcomes of the mother would translate to the newborn baby’s quality of life. Specialists in gestational diabetes, alcohol use, postpartum depression, and anemia are also integrated to support the intended goals. The consideration of the social and cultural attributes of the beneficiaries is also critical to ensure that they receive culturally competent and personalized medical services (Amouzou et al., 2020). These personal experiences explain why professionals should be keen to integrate changing family lifestyles, social structures, and cultural aspects to deliver desirable maternal health outcomes.
Reference
Amouzou, A., Jiwani, S. S., da Silva, I. C. M., Carvajal-Aguirre, L., Maïga, A., & Vaz, L. M. E. (2020). Closing the inequality gaps in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health coverage: Slow and fast progressors. BMJ Global Health, 5(1), e002230. Web.