The so-called maternal death is that which occurs due to complications directly related to the nine months of pregnancy or the birth process. Specifically, this concept identifies deaths that take place during the gestation period or in the six weeks after the end of pregnancy. The data recently revealed by a report in which institutions linked to the United Nations Organization (UN) and led by the World Health Organization (WHO) have participated indicate that there is a worrying stagnation in the number of this type of deaths in many of the world's countries and a brake on the downward trend.
These data, collected in the study called Trends in Maternal Mortality, reveal that a pregnant woman or one who has just given birth dies approximately every two minutes. Between 2000 and 2015, a significant decrease in the number of deaths is observed, but in recent years it seems that these advances have stagnated or regressed. In any case, in 2020 the number of registered deaths was 287,000, which means a decrease in relation to 2016, the year in which the UN launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in which the number of deaths rose to 309,000.
In 2020, around 800 women died every day from causes related to pregnancy or childbirth. The UN SDGs propose reducing this type of mortality below 70 deaths per 100,000 births, compared to the 223 that currently occur.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the WHO, highlights that pregnancy remains dangerous for millions of women in many parts of the world where they do not have access to quality health care and states that "statistics reveal the need urgent need to ensure that all women and girls have access to crucial health services before, during and after childbirth.
In most parts of the world, the death toll has stagnated. There are positive exceptions: Oceania and Central and South Asia have reduced the number of deaths by 35% and 16% respectively. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warns that "for millions of families around the world, the miracle of a baby's birth is marred by the tragedy of maternal mortality."
Maternal mortality is especially concentrated in the poorest areas of the planet and in areas with armed conflicts. In 2020, almost 70% of maternal deaths in the world were registered in sub-Saharan Africa. In nine countries with severe humanitarian crises, maternal mortality rates are above twice the global average (551 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with the global average of 223).
Haemorrhage, hypertension and infections are the main causes of maternal mortality. All of them can be prevented and adequately treated with a health system that has the minimum necessary resources and unfortunately many countries do not have it. “This report is another important alert about the imperative need to redouble our commitment to women's health,” says Juan Pablo Uribe, Global Director of Health, Nutrition and Population at the World Bank.
About a third of the world's women fail to have even half of the eight recommended check-ups during pregnancy. In addition, 270 million women lack access to modern family planning methods. Being in control of your reproductive health is critical to ensuring your overall health is protected. The data in this report is worrying, but it is also necessary to know what influence the COVID-19 pandemic has had, since the data collected only goes up to 2020, the first year of the massive spread of the coronavirus.
The aforementioned study has been prepared by the WHO on behalf of the United Nations Interagency Group for the Estimation of Maternal Mortality, made up of the WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, the World Bank Group and the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. United Nations Social.
