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According to estimates in the Maternal Mortality
Report 2000, a new global report published by
the World Health Organisation (WHO),
UN
Children's Fund (UNICEF) and UN Population Fund
(UNFPA),
a woman living in sub-Saharan Africa
has
a 1 in 16 chance of dying in pregnancy or
childbirth. This compares with a 1 in 2 800
chance for a woman from a developed region.
The report is
the first to employ a new analytical technique
to estimate the number of deaths among pregnant
women in countries where accurate figures are
hard to come by.
The report shows that in the
year 2000 the global maternal mortality rate was
was estimated to be 400. The maternal mortality
rate measures the number of women who die
per
100 000 live births due to pregnancy-related
complications. By region it was highest in
Africa (830); followed by Asia (330), excluding
Japan; Oceania (240), excluding Australia and
New Zealand; Latin America and
the Caribbean
(190) and the developed countries (20).
Worldwide, 13 developing countries accounted for
70% of all maternal deaths. The highest number
occurred
in India where 136 000 women died,
followed by Nigeria where there were 37 000
deaths. In 2000, world leaders agreed to reduce
maternal mortality by three-quarters by 2015, as
part of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Tracking progress remains difficult, except
where comprehensive registration of deaths,
including causes of death, exists. For this
reason, the use of indicators such as the
proportion of women who have a skilled attendant
at delivery is essential to track change.
An unacceptable number of women in developing
countries die giving birth compared to the rest
of the world and the imbalance must be corrected
through better access to health care. African
women are 175 times more likely to die during
childbirth and pregnancy than Westerners, the UN
report stated. Overall, African woman have a one
in 16 chance of dying in childbirth and
pregnancy – but the report states that many of
these deaths can be avoided. The UNICEF
Executive Director says that the figures show
an "unacceptably high number of women dying in
childbirth" and has called for increased access
to emergency obstetric care.
In 2000 95% of the 529 000 deaths among pregnant
women occurred in Africa and Asia. The report
calls for more women to have access to skilled
health workers during pregnancy and labour, and
access to emergency medical care when
complications arise. “More lives could be saved
if women
had access to voluntary family planning
to ensure that births are spaced properly,
skilled attendance at delivery, and emergency
obstetric care. UNFPA is committed to reducing
the high levels of maternal death and disability
that exist today,” the Executive Director of
UNFPA stated. The report further
highlights that most maternal deaths and
disabilities occur as the result of one or more
of three delays:
a delay in recognising
complications; a delay in reaching
a medical
facility; or a delay in receiving good quality
care. Efforts to address these delays are
essential in order to save the lives of mothers
and babies.
The Director General of the World Health
Organization said that, "Many women
deliver their children alone or with family
members or other untrained attendants who lack
the skill to deal with complications during
delivery. He added, "Skilled attendants are
vital because they can recognise and prevent
medical crises and provide or refer for
life-saving care when complications arise."
Reducing maternal mortality is a key factor in
ensuring that all children, especially in the
world's poorest countries, survive and thrive
through adolescence. As the focal agencies
within the United Nations system for the health
of women and children, WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA
pledge, both individually and jointly in
collaboration with their partners, to enhance
their efforts to assist countries to strengthen
their maternal health programmes. |
