March 6, 1997. Copyright, 1997, Graphic News. All rights reserved

Childbirth kills 600,000 women yearly

In the West, the birth of a child is usually cause for celebration. But in the developing world, it ends in a funeral for almost 600,000 mothers.
Latest figures, 20 per cent higher than previous estimates, are to be discussed by 2,500 specialists from 60 countries at the WorldÕs first Congress on Maternal Mortality in Marrakesh, Morocco (March 8-14).

For every woman who dies in childbirth, about 30 more suffer rupture of the uterus, prolapse, pelvic inflammatory disease and lower genital tract injuries.
It is likely that more than 15 million women a year fall victim to Ômaternal morbidityÕ for want of basic obstetric care or a doctor who knows how to perform a caesarean section.

ÔYou donÕt need five-star hospitals,Õ says Deborah Maine, an expert on maternal health. ÔThere are thousands of hospitals that, with minimum upgrading, could provide adequate obstetric care. But many are unusable due to lack of maintenance.Õ One in 13 women in sub-Saharan Africa, and one in 35 women in southern Asia die of complications from pregnancy or childbirth. By contrast, the maternal death rate is one in 3,200 in Western Europe, one in 3,300 in the United States and one in 7,300 in Canada.

Source: UNICEF