| Pregnant Woman |
- Every day, approximately nearly 830 women die from preventable
causes related to pregnancy and childbirth.
- 99% of all maternal deaths occur in developing countries.
- Maternal mortality is higher in women living in rural areas
and among poorer communities.
- Young adolescents face a higher risk of complications and
death as a result of pregnancy than other women
Why do women die?
Women die as a result of complications during and following
pregnancy and childbirth. Most of these complications develop during pregnancy
and most are preventable or treatable. Other complications may exist before
pregnancy but are worsened during pregnancy, especially if not managed as part
of the woman’s care. The major complications that account for nearly 75% of all
maternal deaths are:
- Severe bleeding (mostly bleeding after childbirth)
- Infections (usually after childbirth)
- High blood pressure during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia)
- Complications from delivery
- Unsafe abortion.
The remainder are caused by or associated with diseases such
as malaria, and AIDS during pregnancy.
How can women’s lives be saved?
Most maternal deaths are preventable, as the health-care
solutions to prevent or manage complications are well known. All women need
access to antenatal care in pregnancy, skilled care during childbirth, and care
and support in the weeks after childbirth
*Severe bleeding after birth can kill a healthy woman within
hours if she is unattended. Injecting oxytocin immediately after childbirth
effectively reduces the risk of bleeding.
- Infection after childbirth can be eliminated if good hygiene is practiced and if early signs of infection are recognized and treated in a timely manner.
- Pre-eclampsia should be detected and appropriately managed before the onset of convulsions (eclampsia) and other life-threatening complications. Administering drugs such as magnesium sulfate for pre-eclampsia can lower a woman’s risk of developing eclampsia.
To avoid maternal deaths, it is also vital to prevent
unwanted and too-early pregnancies.
