The 11 indicators of maternal, new-born and child health by WHO.

A) What is an indicator for maternal and child health?

Indicator for maternal and child health is about a data that have been collected in planning
and management of maternal and child health programs and it will be used as references to
standardize measures of health status for maternal and child with the health system.

1. Maternal mortality ratio is defined as a number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.
For the report on the latest figures for Malaysia, from the pdf document in page
http://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/upload/Malaysia/Malaysia_MDG_2010.pdf which is about
Malaysia: The Millennium Development Goals at 2010, stated that Malaysia have a declined in
20 years for maternal mortality ratio in about 85 per cent and the latest subsequently plateaued.
For 2015, Malaysia target to achieve maternal mortality ratio to 11 per 100,000 live births.

2. Under-five child mortality, with the proportion of new-born deaths is refers to the death
of infants and children who are under the age five.
For the report on the latest figures for Malaysia, from the pdf document in page
http://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/upload/Malaysia/Malaysia_MDG_2010.pdf which is about
Malaysia: The Millennium Development Goals at 2010, stated that Malaysia undergo reduction
over the period and about 50 per cents until now and target to reduce under-five child mortality
to 5.6 per 100 live births in 2015.

3. Children under five who are stunted is refer to children age under five with the proportion
of body height which is height-for-age z-score (HAZ) of <-2 standard deviation (SD) of the
National Center for Health Statistics reference.

4. Proportion of demand for family planning satisfied (met need for contraception) is about
the use of contraceptive methods by the couples in family planning which is to ensure prevent
pregnancies that are too early, too closely spaced, too late or too many.
5. Antenatal care coverage (at least four times during pregnancy) is about an indicator that
access and utilization of health care during pregnancy. It also about percentage of woman aged

15-49 that received the care from skilled health personnel for four or more times during
pregnancy as a percentage of live births in a given time period.

6. Antiretroviral (ARV) prophylaxis among HIV positive pregnant women to prevent HIV
transmission and antiretroviral therapy for pregnant woman who are treatment-eligible is a
prevention mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT), and on safe feeding practices for
HIV-exposed infants.

7. Skilled attendant at birth is referred to someone who is trained in the skills which is needed
to manage normal (uncomplicated) pregnancies, childbirth and the immediate postnatal period,
and in the identification, management and referral of complications in women and newborns.
Form the latest figures for Malaysia in skilled attendant at birth, it stated proportion of births
attended by skilled health personnel increased from 74.2% (1990) to 98.6% (2009). The data
provided from
http://www.jknselangor.moh.gov.my/documents/pdf/sharingDoc/HealthConference/SYMPOSIU
M/Maternal_Mortality.pdf .

8. Postnatal care for mothers and babies within two days of birth is about a care that given to
the mother and her newborn baby immediately after the birth. Examples of care given are like
support breastfeeding for mom and checking the breast from mastitis. For baby like a promote
hygine, record weight and check the temperature.

9. Exclusive breastfeeding for six months (0-5 months) is about the infant who only receives
breast milk without any additional food or drink, not even water in duration six months.
From the latest figures for Malaysia, it stated in
http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/08/02/breastfeeding-culture-low-in-malaysia/, only 23.7 per
cent of babies born in the country are breastfed exclusively for the first six months, and the
government hopes to increase this figure to at least 30 per cent by 2015.

10. Three doses of combined diphtheria-tetanus pertussis (DTP3) immunization coverage

(12-23 months) is refers to combined diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine. The percentage
of children receiving the third dose of DTP (DTP3) is an indicator of how well countries provide

routine immunization services. It sets the process in motion for service providers and seekers
(the parents with eligible children) for other complementary immunizations as child grows up.

11. Antibiotic treatment for suspected pneumonia is about one of the way treatment for those
who are suspected pneumonia and it is done at home usually. An antibiotic such as amoxicillin,
for those who are not allergy is used and it is usually effective and it can expect to recover fully
because it kills the bacteria.