This is an excellent review of the state of maternal health in the developing world. See this article on WHO’s website:
1. “1000 women die every day due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth “. After HIV “conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth” are the leading cause of death of women.
2. 4 things that cause 70% of maternal death: “severe bleeding, infections, unsafe abortion, and hypertensive disorders (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia).” Postpartum bleeding can kill an otherwise healthy woman in 2 hours.
3. Postpartum Morbidity (fever, anemia, fistula, incontinence, infertility and depression) afflicts 20 million women per year.
4.10% of all births are to girls 15-19. In many countries teen moms are twice as likely to die in childbirth.
5. Rich people don’t die giving birth, poor people do. “Of the 1000 women who die every day, 570 live in sub-Saharan Africa, 300 in South Asia and five in high-income countries.”
6. Trained birth attendants prevent deaths.
7. Rural women in the developing world are less likely than urban women to attend 4 prenatal visits, which are important for identifying problems.
8. 46,000 women die every year from unsafe abortions. Preventing unwanted pregnancy is crucial.
9. Missing the Millenium Development Goals. “Since 1990 the global maternal mortality ratio has declined by only 2.3% annually instead of the 5.5% needed to achieve MDG 5, aimed at improving maternal health.”
10. Women need skilled medical care above all.
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