014HALF THE SKYMaternal Mortality and The Global Health Divide<strong>LESSON</strong> PLAN PROCEDURESPrescreening Activity 2:The Health Divide (cont.)PART 2:Share the following information with your class:Maternal mortality is a global crisis. At least one woman dies from complications related topregnancy or childbirth every minute, and 99 percent of these deaths occur in developingcountries, with more than half in sub-Saharan Africa and almost one-third in South Asia.For a woman in a developing country, giving birth can be one of the biggest threats to herlife. In poor countries, pregnancy and childbirth are among the leading causes of deathwhile in industrialized countries, maternal deaths are far less common. In Nigeria 1-in-18women die from pregnancy-related causes and in Somaliland the situation is even moredangerous, with 1 woman in 12 dying during or soon after childbirth. In comparison, themortality rate in Japan is 1 in 16,666, and in Italy, a remarkably low 1 in 20,000.Even within industrialized countries disparity exists between maternal mortality rates forwomen in different communities. The health divide is especially apparent in the UnitedStates, where African-American women are almost four times more likely to die duringor soon after childbirth than Caucasian women. As a result, The United States’ averagematernal mortality rate is relatively high at 1 in 4,100, making it more dangerous to givebirth in the U.S. than in over 40 other countries.• Follow with a discussion using the questions below as a guide and record the results.This can be a class discussion or students can break into pairs or small groups. (This isa diagnostic discussion and brainstorming session, and the students’ feedback will berevisited after the screening.)--What factors do you think contribute to the disparity in women’s health care in differentareas of the world and within different communities? (Discuss possible social, cultural,political, and economic factors)--What impact do you think the lack of access to care has on individual women, theirfamilies, and their communities?--Have you seen any news coverage on this issue? If so, what was it? If not, why do youthink the maternal mortality crisis has not been a media priority?--Is access to healthcare a right or a privilege? What does the maternal mortality crisis tellus about the status of women in the world?--Finally, share the following quote with your students and have them discuss what theythink Mahmoud Fathalla meant by his statement:“Women are not dying because of diseases we cannot treat. ...They are dying becausesocieties have yet to make the decision that their lives are worth saving.”– Mahmoud Fathalla, former President of the International Federation of Gynecologyand ObstetricsPART 3• In preparation for viewing the film module, ask students to locate Somaliland on a wall map.• Provide the class with Student Handout C: Somaliland in Context. Have them read the factsheet, and discuss briefly with a partner, or have a volunteer(s) read the fact sheet aloudand discuss as a class.
HALF THE SKYMaternal Mortality and The Global Health Divide015<strong>LESSON</strong> PLAN PROCEDURESViewing the ModuleClass Time: 10–15 minutesYou will need: pens and writing paper, LCD projector or DVD player, Maternal Mortalityin Somaliland film module (9:45), Student Handout D: Film Module Screening Guide,Maternal Mortality Glossary• Distribute Student Handout D: Film Module Screening Guide and instruct students to takenotes during the screening using the worksheet as a guide. Students may also need a copyof the Maternal Mortality Glossary for reference while viewing the video.• Variation: To save paper, project or write questions from Student Handout D: Film ModuleScreening Guide on the board and review briefly before viewing the film module.