Unicef calls for more action to prevent maternal deaths

A recent Unicef report says that progress has been far too slow and that interventions to prevent maternal deaths need to be scaled up. Each year more than half a million women die through complications in pregnancy and childbirth, with more than 99% of deaths that occur in poor countries, says the report. Each year an estimated 10 million women also experience injuries, infections, disease, or disability, which can cause lifelong suffering.

The report, Progress for Children: A Report Card on Maternal Mortality, says that most of these women's deaths are attributable to no, or limited, access to heath care or to poor quality of care.

Unicef's chief of health, Peter Salama, says that the reasons for maternal death are clear, but women continue to die unecessarily. Women die as a result of haemorrhage, sepsis, hypertensive disorders, unsafe abortion or complications of obstructed labour. These are conditions that are generally treatable in the developed world and in any area where skilled health personnel are available.

Dr Salama told reporters that a broad consensus has been reached on the best evidence based and cost effective health interventions to reduce maternal deaths.

He said that it includes family planning, in accordance with national policies and standards; skilled attendance at birth, with a referral system to emergency obstetrical care; and postnatal care for women and their newly born children.

Depending on epidemiology by country, he said, there also needed to be more antiretroviral treatment, in particular for pregnant women; more malaria prevention and care; and more prevention and control of undernutrition.

Salama also talked about the need to address women's status in society, since factors affecting women's rights have a direct influence on women's health.

The report is at www.unicef.org