The Chief Medical Director of Maryam Abacha Hospital, Sokoto, Hajiya Hadiza Tore, has encouraged residents to take advantage of family planning services and antenatal care to improve their health and overall family well-being.

Speaking on the occasion of the 2025 Safe Motherhood Day celebration on Friday in Sokoto, Tore, represented by the Chief Matron, Hannatu Umar, revealed that the hospital’s family planning clinic attends to between 20 and 30 women weekly who seek family planning services.

She said the hospital provides excellent care for pregnant women attending antenatal check-ups and has recorded a significant increase in the number of women adopting these services in the State.

Tore commended the government for providing free essential services but emphasized the need for additional support to achieve universal health coverage.

“We provide care and guidance to women, encouraging them to make informed decisions about their reproductive health,” she said.

“We educate them on family planning and the importance of spacing their pregnancies. This allows them to recover physically and regain their strength before becoming pregnant again.”

She stressed that proper spacing reduces the risk of complications during childbirth and improves maternal health outcomes.

According to her, the hospital begins monitoring pregnancies from the fifth month through to the ninth month, leading up to delivery.

Skilled doctors are always available in the labor room to assist during childbirth.

“We conduct antenatal check-ups every Wednesday for new patients,” she explained.

“We usually see about 100 to 150 pregnant women during these sessions. Daily check-ups are held on Mondays and Tuesdays, while Wednesdays are for new patients. Afterwards, patients are grouped to return on Thursdays, Fridays, or Mondays for their test results.”

She said antenatal services include blood pressure checks, malaria tests, and ultrasound scans to determine the gestational age of pregnancies.

Patients are scheduled to receive their results on Mondays and are advised to return every four weeks or two months for further check-ups until delivery.

To reduce complications among pregnant women, Tore said that the hospital has experienced doctors who specialize in identifying and managing pregnancy-related issues.

“We have a dedicated team of doctors focusing on safe motherhood, particularly for women who experience complications such as prolonged labor, excessive bleeding, or retained placenta. In cases of obstructed labor or fetal positioning issues, cesarean sections are performed when necessary,” she added.

She emphasized the health risks associated with closely spaced pregnancies, such as anemia, noting that a two to three-year interval allows a woman’s body to recover fully before the next pregnancy.

“Many women are now aware of family planning methods and are actively taking steps to space their pregnancies. Once they understand the health benefits like preventing excessive bleeding and ensuring blood level recovery they are more likely to embrace these methods and even encourage others to do the same,” she said.

Tore also called on husbands to support their wives in seeking antenatal and family planning services, stating that regular check-ups help detect health issues early, ensuring a safe pregnancy and delivery.

“When women understand the benefits of family planning, especially in preventing complications and promoting overall health, they are more likely to adopt and sustain its use,” she submitted.