What is Women's Maternal Mortality?

Maternal mortality refers to the death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days after the end of pregnancy, due to causes related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management. While maternal mortality has decreased globally in recent years, it remains a significant public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This article will explore the causes and risk factors of maternal mortality, as well as efforts to address this issue.

Causes of Maternal Mortality

The leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide are severe bleeding, infections, high blood pressure, unsafe abortions, and obstructed labor. These causes can be further broken down into specific conditions, such as postpartum hemorrhage, sepsis, eclampsia, and obstructed labor due to lack of access to emergency obstetric care.

Risk Factors for Maternal Mortality

The risk factors for maternal mortality include poverty, lack of access to quality healthcare, malnutrition, and limited education. Women who live in rural areas or conflict-affected regions are also at higher risk. Additionally, women who are of older age, have pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes or HIV, or have had a previous cesarean section are at increased risk for maternal mortality.

Efforts to Address Maternal Mortality

The global community has made significant efforts to address maternal mortality in recent years. In 2000, the United Nations Millennium Development Goals included a target to reduce maternal mortality by 75% between 1990 and 2015. While this target was not fully achieved, significant progress was made. In 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals included a new target to reduce global maternal mortality to less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.

To achieve this goal, there has been a focus on improving access to quality healthcare for women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. This includes ensuring that women have access to skilled birth attendants, emergency obstetric care, and family planning services. Other strategies include improving maternal nutrition and addressing social and cultural factors that may limit women's access to healthcare.

In addition to global efforts, individual countries have developed their own strategies to address maternal mortality. For example, in India, the government has launched the Janani Suraksha Yojana program, which provides cash incentives to women who give birth in a health facility. In Tanzania, the government has trained traditional birth attendants to identify and refer women with obstetric emergencies to health facilities.

Conclusion

Maternal mortality remains a significant public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. However, global efforts to improve access to quality healthcare for women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period have resulted in significant progress in recent years. Addressing maternal mortality requires a multi-faceted approach that includes improving access to healthcare, addressing social and cultural factors, and promoting maternal nutrition.