Frequently Asked Questions

• How Many Women Die Each Year from Maternal Causes?
  
  
• What are the Primary Causes of Maternal Mortality?
  
  
• What are the Primary Causes of Neonatal Mortality?
  
  
• What is the Impact of a Mother’s Health and Survival on Her Children’s Survival?
  
  
• What are the Economic Impacts of Maternal Death?
  
  
• What are the Major Disabilities Resulting from Pregnancy and Childbirth Complications?
  

How Many Women Die Each Year from Maternal Causes?

WHO estimates that each year, approximately 515,000 women in the world die from maternal health causes. The regional distribution of maternal death is as follows:

Source: WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA. 2004. Maternal Mortality in 2000: Estimates Developed by WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA. Geneva: WHO.

What are the Primary Causes of Maternal Mortality?

The most common direct causes of maternal death include severe bleeding, infection, consequences of unsafe abortions, hypertensive disorders such as pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, and obstructed labor. A mother may also have pre-existing health conditions developed before or during pregnancy that may indirectly lead to her death. These indirect causes include anemia and malaria. Poverty, race, ethnic or tribal affiliation, or lack of education are also underlying causes of maternal death or disability.

WHO. 1999. “Reduction of maternal mortality. A joint WHO/UNFPA/UNICEF/World Bank statement.”

What are the Primary Causes of Neonatal Mortality?

Nearly one-third of deaths to newborns in the first four weeks of life are caused by infections. These infections include tetanus, sepsis, respiratory infections, and diarrhea. Birth asphyxia and injuries, complications of prematurity, and congenital abnormalities are also primary causes of newborn death.

Fortunately, evidence-based interventions exist to address these causes and decrease their overall negative impact. Tetanus toxoid immunization for mothers, clean delivery care, umbilical cord care, eye care, early and exclusive breastfeeding, and antibiotics can help reduce the toll of deaths due to infections. Keeping babies warm, resuscitation techniques, and skilled birthing professionals can prevent birth asphyxia and other deaths due to injuries. Control of syphilis and folate supplementation can also reduce congenital abnormalities.

USAID and WHO. No Date. "Newborn health and Survival" A Call to Action."

What is the Impact of a Mother’s Health and Survival on Her Children’s Survival?

A healthy newborn begins with a healthy mother. Good nutrition and quality healthcare before, during, and after a mother gives birth can prevent many of the approximately four million newborn deaths and four million stillbirths each year. The lifetime risk of a mother losing a newborn is high in the same regions where the lifetime risk of maternal death is high.

Recent research has found that newborn survival is related to the spacing of childbearing. Children in the developing world born three- to-five years aafter their next oldest sibling are about 2.5 times more likely to survive until their fifth birthday than children born less than two years apart. Mothers who give birth to many children are also at a higher risk of death, thus reducing the infant's chance of survival. The prevention of birth complications can go a long way to reduce neonatal deaths. Furthermore, preventing and treating maternal infections and illness such as sexually transmitted infections (including syphilis and HIV/AIDS) and malaria during pregnancy can reduce the likelihood of passing infections on to newborns and prevent low birth weight, a primary contributor of neonatal death. Improving maternal nutrition can also contribute to a healthy baby by preventing low birth babies and reducing anemia in mothers.

Anne Tinker and Elizabeth Ransom. 2002. “Healthy Mothers and Healthy Newborns: The Vital Link.” Save the Children and Population Reference Bureau.

What are the Economic Impacts of Maternal Death?

Women are active members of their households and community, contributing to both micro and macro economic development in the informal and formal sectors. Women are the heads of household in many families, and research has shown that a mother is more likely than a father to spend her income on the needs of her children.

According to the World Bank, large disease burdens and cost effective interventions coincide for adult women, age 15-44. Of the five clusters of primary health care interventions costing $100 or less per disability-adjusted life year saved in developing nations, three are in reproductive health: family planning, prenatal and delivery care, and case management of sexually transmitted diseases.

World Bank. 1993. World Health Report 1993, and World Bank. 1999. Safe Motherhood and The World Bank: Lessons from 10 Years of Experience.

What are the Major Disabilities Resulting from Pregnancy and Childbirth Complications?

For every one woman who dies due to pregnancy or childbirth, another 30 experience a short or long term disability. The primary complications leading to disabilities include hemorrhage, infection, obstructed labor, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and unsafe abortion.

The consequences of these complications include anemia, infertility, or in rare cases, hormonal damage from severe bleeding. Women surviving infection during labor face pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, reproductive organ damage, and infertility. Obstructed or prolonged labor could lead to incontinence, fistula, genital prolapse, uterine rupture, or nerve damage. Pregnancy-induced hypertension can be a precursor to chronic hypertension, kidney failure, or nervous system problems. Finally, disabilities related to unsafe abortion include pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, reproductive organ damage, reproductive tract infection, or infertility.

Lori Ashford. 2002. Hidden Suffering: Disabilities from Pregnancy and Childbirth in Less Developed Countries. PRB.