Childbirth in Iraq is marked by a fertility rate of 4.0 births per woman, a contested but high maternal mortality rate and a moderately high infant mortality rate.
Fertility rate In 2015 Iraq's fertility rate was reported by the World Health Organization at 4.0 births per woman.Iraq: WHO Statistical Profile. (January, 2015). Global Health Observatory. Retrieved on March 21st, 2015 at http://www.who.int/gho/countries/irq.pdf?ua=1
Mortality Maternal mortality Maternal mortality is a much debated figure in Iraq. In 2010 the CIA World Factbook reported maternal mortality at 63 deaths/100,000 births.Middle East: Iraq. (2014, June 22). CIA World Factbook. Retrieved March 24, 2015, from Iraq's Ministry of Health and the WHO reported in 2011 the maternal mortality rate at 84 death per 100,000 births. That would categorize Iraq as one of the 68 countries that account for 97% of the maternal and child deaths globally.Webster, P. C. (2013). Roots of Iraq's maternal and child health crisis run deep. The Lancet, 381(9870), 891-894.DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60658-3 In 2013 the two organizations were divided on the issue with the WHO reporting maternal mortality at 64 deaths per 100,000 and Ministry of Health reporting 25.Al Hilfi, T. K., Lafta, R., & Burnham, G. (2013). Health services in Iraq. The Lancet, 381(9870), 939-948. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60320-7
Infant mortality In 2014 total infant mortality in Iraq was reported 37.53 deaths/1,000 live births: male: 41.57 deaths/1,000 live births and female: 33.28 deaths/1,000 live births.Middle East: Iraq. (2014, June 22). CIA World Factbook. Retrieved March 24, 2015, from
Contraceptive use In 2013, the World Health Organization reported the contraception use rate at 53% for the population of Iraq, up from 32.9% in 2010.Iraq: Country statistics summary. (2013). World Health Organization. Retrieved on March 24, 2015 at
Abortion
World Abortion Policies 2011. (March, 2011). United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Retrieved on March 24, 2015 at http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/2011abortion/2011wallchart.pdf
Pregnancy care providers There are three types of pregnancy care providers in Iraq; midwives, obstetricians, and traditional birth attendants.Reed, L. (2007). Midwifery, Freedom to Practice?. Churchill Livingston, Elsevier Midwives practice in hospitals and in their home or the home of their client.Reed, L. (2007). Midwifery, Freedom to Practice?. Churchill Livingston, Elsevier They are educated in hospital based programs, but there is interest in expanding midwifery education to the university level.Reed, L. (2007). Midwifery, Freedom to Practice?. Churchill Livingston, Elsevier Once licensed, a midwife receives a plaque with her license number that she displays outside the door of her home.Reed, L. (2007). Midwifery, Freedom to Practice?. Churchill Livingston, Elsevier This lets potential clients know that she has the appropriate credentials.Reed, L. (2007). Midwifery, Freedom to Practice?. Churchill Livingston, Elsevier Midwives do not have prescribing privileges but may obtain certain medications from a physician if they are working outside of a hospital.Reed, L. (2007). Midwifery, Freedom to Practice?. Churchill Livingston, Elsevier Obstetricians are university educated and work in hospitals.Reed, L. (2007). Midwifery, Freedom to Practice?. Churchill Livingston, Elsevier Traditional birth attendants work only in clients homes Reed, L. (2007). Midwifery, Freedom to Practice?. Churchill Livingston, Elsevier
Prenatal care In 2006: 84% of women had at least one prenatal visit with skilled personnel. Of the women who received antenatal care: 63% had a urine sample, 66% had a blood test, and 76% had their blood pressure taken. A client's weight was taken less than the other measurements.Iraq: Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2006. (2007). Central Organization for Statistics & Information Technology. Kurdistan Regional Statistics Office. Iraq Ministry of Health. Retrieved at http://www.childinfo.org/files/MICS3_Iraq_FinalReport_2006_eng.pdf
Labor and birth Location In 2011, 74% of recorded births in Iraq took place in a hospital or birth center, 79% of urban births and 67% of rural births.Iraq Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2011 (2012) Retrieved at http://www.childinfo.org/files/MICS4_Iraq_PreliminaryReport_Eng.pdf
Attendants and support persons In 2011, 89% of births in Iraq were attended by a skilled birth attendant.Iraq Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2011 (2012) Retrieved at http://www.childinfo.org/files/MICS4_Iraq_PreliminaryReport_Eng.pdf Sixty percent were attended by a public or private doctor and 28% were attended by a nurse-midwife or certified midwife.Iraq Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2011 (2012) Retrieved at http://www.childinfo.org/files/MICS4_Iraq_PreliminaryReport_Eng.pdf Traditional birth attendants, called , attended 10% of the births.Iraq Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2011 (2012) Retrieved at http://www.childinfo.org/files/MICS4_Iraq_PreliminaryReport_Eng.pdf For hospital births, no family members are allowed to accompany the women into the hospital.Reed, L. (2007). Midwifery, Freedom to Practice?. Churchill Livingston, Elsevier For a home birth, a women's mother or sister is often present Reed, L. (2007). Midwifery, Freedom to Practice?. Churchill Livingston, Elsevier
Pain and pain management Women in Iraq generally expect that there will be pain with labor and delivery. An absence of pain is often interpreted as a poor progress in labor. Epidurals are not commonly used in public hospitals in Iraq.Reid, L. (2007). Freedom to Practise?: An International Exploration and Examination of Midwifery Practice. Philadelphia, PA. Elsevier Health Sciences
Caesarean rate In 2006, 20% of recorded births in Iraq were via Caesarean section.Iraq: Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2006. (2007). Central Organization for Statistics. Iraq Ministry of Health. Retrieved at http://www.childinfo.org/files/MICS3_Iraq_FinalReport_2006_eng.pdf The rate was higher in private hospitals and the likelihood increased with a woman's age and education level Iraq: Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2006. (2007). Central Organization for Statistics. Iraq Ministry of Health. Retrieved at http://www.childinfo.org/files/MICS3_Iraq_FinalReport_2006_eng.pdf
Post-birth care Breastfeeding A recent report found that only 20% of newborns in Iraq are exclusively fed breast milk for the first six months.Webster, P. C. (2013). Roots of Iraq's maternal and child health crisis run deep. The Lancet, 381(9870), 891-894.DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60658-3 There is often pressures to switch to formula feeding, though this can be unsafe in a country such as Iraq where clean drinking water is not always available.Webster, P. C. (2013). Roots of Iraq's maternal and child health crisis run deep. The Lancet, 381(9870), 891-894.DOI: 10
Female circumcision Female circumcision is controversial in Iraq. While it is not widespread throughout the country, it is still common practice in Iraqi Kurdistan.Rozhgar A. Saleem MBChB MSc, Nasih Othman MBChB PhD, Fattah H. Fattah MBChB MSc, Luma Hazim BSc MSc & Berivan Adnan MBChB MSc (2013) Female Genital Mutilation in Iraqi Kurdistan: Description and Associated Factors, Women & Health, 53:6, 537-551, DOI: 10.1080/03630242.2013.815681 The decision to perform female circumcision is often made by the mother or grandmother on religious, social, or purity grounds.Rozhgar A. Saleem MBChB MSc, Nasih Othman MBChB PhD, Fattah H. Fattah MBChB MSc, Luma Hazim BSc MSc & Berivan Adnan MBChB MSc (2013) Female Genital Mutilation in Iraqi Kurdistan: Description and Associated Factors, Women & Health, 53:6, 537-551, DOI: 10.1080/03630242.2013.815681 Negative consequences to the child's health include bleeding, sepsis, shock, psychological disorders, obstetrical complications, and urogenital problems.Rozhgar A. Saleem MBChB MSc, Nasih Othman MBChB PhD, Fattah H. Fattah MBChB MSc, Luma Hazim BSc MSc & Berivan Adnan MBChB MSc (2013) Female Genital Mutilation in Iraqi Kurdistan: Description and Associated Factors, Women & Health, 53:6, 537-551, DOI: 10.1080/03630242.2013.815681 In 2010 the United Nations released a report that placed the prevalence of female genital mutilation at 78% of women in Kurdistan.Rozhgar A. Saleem MBChB MSc, Nasih Othman MBChB PhD, Fattah H. Fattah MBChB MSc, Luma Hazim BSc MSc & Berivan Adnan MBChB MSc (2013) Female Genital Mutilation in Iraqi Kurdistan: Description and Associated Factors, Women & Health, 53:6, 537-551, DOI: 10.1080/03630242.2013.815681 A more recent survey of 1,508 women in Kurdistan recorded a prevalence of 23% of women, with the mean age at which it performed being 4.6 years old.Rozhgar A. Saleem MBChB MSc, Nasih Othman MBChB PhD, Fattah H. Fattah MBChB MSc, Luma Hazim BSc MSc & Berivan Adnan MBChB MSc (2013) Female Genital Mutilation in Iraqi Kurdistan: Description and Associated Factors, Women & Health, 53:6, 537-551, DOI: 10.1080/03630242.2013.815681 Traditionally the procedure is performed at home by a midwife, traditional birth attendant, or relative. In 2011 a law was passed which made female circumcision illegal in Iraqi KurdistanRozhgar A. Saleem MBChB MSc, Nasih Othman MBChB PhD, Fattah H. Fattah MBChB MSc, Luma Hazim BSc MSc & Berivan Adnan MBChB MSc (2013) Female Genital Mutilation in Iraqi Kurdistan: Description and Associated Factors, Women & Health, 53:6, 537-551, DOI: 10.1080/03630242.2013.815681
References
Al Hilfi, T. K., Lafta, R., & Burnham, G. (2013). Health services in Iraq. The Lancet, 381(9870), 939–948. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60320-7 Webster, P. C. (2013). Roots of Iraq's maternal and child health crisis run deep. The Lancet, 381(9870), 891–894.DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60658-3 Iraq: WHO Statistical Profile. (January, 2015). Global Health Observatory. Retrieved on March 21, 2015, at http://www.who.int/gho/countries/irq.pdf?ua=1 Rozhgar A. Saleem MBChB MSc, Nasih Othman MBChB PhD, Fattah H. Fattah MBChB MSc, Luma Hazim BSc MSc & Berivan Adnan MBChB MSc (2013) Female Genital Mutilation in Iraqi Kurdistan: Description and Associated Factors, Women & Health, 53:6, 537–551, DOI: 10.1080/03630242.2013.815681