Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Geneva (Agenzia Fides) - The maternal mortality rate, the number of deaths for every 100,000 babies born alive, is diminishing too slowly to reach the 5th Millennium Goal to reduce by two thirds by 2015 the number of women who die during pregnancy or at childbirth.
Compared to the 5.5% reduction in maternal deaths between 1990 and 2015 foreseen by the 5th MDG, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and the World Bank recently demonstrated that the figure has dropped so far only by 1 per cent.
In 2005, 536,000 mothers died compared to 576,000 in 1990. And 99% of these were in developing countries.
In 2005 the rate of maternal morality in developing regions with, 450,000 deaths every 100,000 babies born alive, was in strong contrast to 9 industrialised regions and the 51 countries of the Commonwealth (CIS).
Latest estimates say that between 1990 and 2005, there was an improvement in countries with an average income, whereas in Sub-Saharan Africa the decrease was only 0.1%. No region reached 5.5%, although east Asia is close with an annual reduction of 4.2%, and northern Africa, southern Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean registered more rapid decrease than Sub-Saharan Africa.
270,000 deaths were registered in Sub-Saharan Africa, followed by southern Asia (188,000). Together these two regions registered 86% of maternal deaths in the world in 2005.
In 2005 eleven countries registered at least 65% increase of maternal deaths. India leads with 117,00, followed by Nigeria 59,000, Democratic Congo 32,000 and Afghanistan 26,000.
The chance that a girl of 15 in Africa may die in her life of complications in pregnancy and childbirth and 1 out 26. In wealthy regions the chance is 1 in 7,300.
Of the 171 countries considered, Niger is at highest risk with 1 death out of 7.
The maternal morality rate indicates the risk of death for a women in every pregnancy. Obviously in areas such as Sub-Saharan Africa with a high fertility rate, women are at risk many times in their life.
To reach the 5th Millennium Goal and reduce the rate of maternal death by three quarters by 2015, it is necessary to improve healthcare for women and guarantee universal access to reproductive health services: family planning, prevention of unwanted pregnancies and high quality medical treatment, including emergency obstetric surgery. It is also necessary to guarantee gender equality and education for women. (AP) (12/10/2007 Agenzia Fides; Righe:41; Parole:498)
