maternal health

Ministerial Order No. 002/MoH/2019 of April 8, 2019 determining the conditions under which a physician may perform an abortion, Rwanda, entered into force on April 8, 2019

Ministerial Order No. 002/MoH/2019, enacted under Law No. 68/2018, sets the conditions under which a physician may perform an abortion. Abortion is permitted in the following circumstances:

Connecticut ‘s statute on prenatal testing for HIV and syphilis requires prenatal care providers to order blood tests for both HIV and syphilis during the first trimester of pregnancy and again at the time of delivery. The purpose is to identify infections early, reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission, and ensure timely medical intervention for both the mother and the newborn. By mandating testing at two stages, the law enhances the likelihood of detection even if exposure occurs later in pregnancy.

The 2007 Law on the Promotion and Protection of Breastfeeding aims to ensure that mothers receive the necessary support to breastfeed, safeguarding both maternal and child health. Key provisions include the right to paid maternity leave for breastfeeding, access to health services and professional guidance, and a State obligation to promote exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life, followed by continued breastfeeding with appropriate complementary foods.

An Afro-Brazilian woman suffered a high-risk pregnancy and was repeatedly denied timely care at public health facility, before dying of a digestive hemorrhage following delivery of her stillborn fetus. Her death is not an isolated case; Brazil's maternal mortality rates are disproportionately high for a country of its economic status and the chances of dying in pregnancy and childbirth are greatest among indigenous, low-income, and Afro-descendant women.