The Facts
According to a study published Wednesday in The Lancet Global Health journal, more than a third of new mothers worldwide, or at least 40M women, annually experience lasting health issues after childbirth.
The study, part of a series on maternal health and care, highlights several health concerns women face after giving birth, including pain after sexual intercourse, lower back pain, anal incontinence, and anxiety.
The Spin
Narrative A
Maternal health is an often overlooked area of global medicine. Far too many women die during childbirth every year, and many more are left with long-lasting complications. More attention, funding, and information must be diverted towards monitoring and treating women before and after childbirth.
Narrative B
Although maternal health is far from perfect, it has seen significant improvement over the past 20 years. While more can always be done to improve the lives of mothers, the progress made thus far due to decades of effort and focus on improving maternal health should also be appreciated.
