- Maternal mortality has increased in most regions of the planet.
- The new WHO report states that during 2020 there were 287,000 maternal deaths globally.
- The main causes are severe bleeding, high blood pressure, pregnancy-related infections, complications from unsafe abortions, and underlying diseases that may worsen during pregnancy.
Pregnancy is a beautiful stage of life but it cannot be overlooked that there are various risks to consider. If the instructions are not followed correctly, complications may occur that put the well-being of the woman and the product at risk. That’s why the Maternal mortality is one of the indicators within any health system.
With this in mind, the Maternal Mortality Trends report produced by the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals alarming setbacks globally. What causes the greatest concern is that in recent years the number of maternal deaths has increased or stagnated in almost all regions of the planet.
“While pregnancy should be a time of immense hope and a positive experience for all women, tragically it remains a terribly dangerous experience for millions of people around the world who lack access to high-quality, respectful healthcare.” says Dr. Tedros Adhanom, director general of the WHO.
According to the job during 2020 it is estimated that there were 287 thousand maternal deaths worldwide. The figure represents only a slight decrease compared to the 309,000 of 2016, when the Sustainable Development Goals came into force.
While the report presents some significant progress in reducing maternal deaths between 2000 and 2015, the gains have largely stalled, or in some cases even reversed, after 2016.
“These new statistics reveal the urgent need to ensure that all women and girls have access to critical health services before, during and after childbirth, and that they can fully exercise their reproductive rights.”
In two of the eight United Nations regions, Europe and North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean, the maternal mortality rate increased between 2016 and 2020 by 17% and 15% respectively. In the rest, the rate stagnated.
It is possible to advance
The report notes, however, that progress is possible. For example, two regions, Australia and New Zealand, and Central and South Asia, experienced significant declines of 35% and 16%, respectively, in their rates of maternal mortality during the same period, as did 31 countries around the world.
“No mother should have to fear for her life while bringing a baby into the world, especially when the knowledge and tools exist to treat the most common complications. Equity in health care offers all mothers, whoever they are or wherever they are, a fair chance for a safe birth and a healthy future with their family,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
The report reveals that the world must significantly accelerate progress to meet the global targets for reducing maternal mortality. Otherwise, the lives of more than a million women will be at risk by 2030.
Sub-Saharan Africa, the most affected area
In aggregate numbers, maternal deaths remain largely concentrated in the world’s poorest areas and in countries affected by conflict.
In 2020, about 70% of all maternal deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa. In nine countries facing severe humanitarian crises, maternal mortality rates were more than twice the global average (551 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with 223 globally).
Main health problems during pregnancy
Severe bleeding, high blood pressure, pregnancy-related infections, complications from unsafe abortions, and underlying diseases that can worsen with pregnancy, such as AIDS and malaria, are the leading causes of maternal mortality. All of them are largely preventable and treatable with access to respectful, high-quality healthcare.
Community-focused primary health care can meet the needs of women, children, and adolescents and enable equitable access to critical services such as assisted births and prenatal and postnatal care, childhood immunizations, nutrition, and family planning. However, low funding to primary care systems, a lack of trained health personnel and weak supply chains for medical products threaten progress.
Approximately one third of women do not receive even four of the eight recommended prenatal check-ups or essential postnatal care, while some 270 million women lack access to modern family planning methods.
Exercising control over their reproductive health, particularly decisions about whether and when to have children, is critical to ensuring that women can plan and space childbearing and protect their health.
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