Deaths of pregnant women have nearly halved globally in the last 25 years – but still kill more than a quarter of a billion people every year, according to a new study today.
In 1990 more than 500,000 women died during pregnancy and childbirth – while last year some 289,000 women lost their lives while expecting a child.
Research from the World Health Organisation shows that women in the 21st century are now most vulnerable when they have existing health problems when they become pregnant.
These include diabetes, obesity, HIV and malaria.
The figures and the analysis were published today in The Lancet Global Health.
The report says sub-Saharan Africa remains the riskiest region for pregnant women – although two countries, Rwanda and Equatorial Guinea, have cut death rates by 75% in the last 25 years.
The greatest numbers of maternal deaths are found in India – 50,000 a year – and Nigeria where there are 40,000 a year together with the Republic of Congo, responsible for 21,000 deaths, and Ethiopia where there are 13,000 deaths a year.
Countries such as Indonesia, Pakistan, Tanzania, Kenya, China, and Uganda all suffer more than 5,000 deaths a year.
Kate Gilmore, of the United Nations Population Fund said: "More than 15 million girls aged 15 to 19 years give birth every year – one in five girls before they turn 18 – and many of these pregnancies result from non-consensual sex.
“Relatively simple and well-known interventions, like midwifery services and gender-based violence prevention and response, can make a huge difference if scaled up and coupled with investments in innovations, especially in the area of contraceptives."
The Lancet Global Health 6 May 2014 [abstract]
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