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WHO and World Bank report explains decline of maternal mortality, stating that worldwide the maternal mortality rate has almost halved in the past 25 years.
WHO and World Bank report explains decline of maternal mortality, stating that worldwide the maternal mortality rate has almost halved in the past 25 years.
While this is good news, only nine countries engaged in reducing the maternal mortality rate under the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UNMDGs) framework have sustainably achieved the goal.
Overall, only nine states worldwide reduced the maternal mortality by 75 percent in the past 25 years. Worldwide, 385 maternal deaths were registered in 1990. At that point, the United States registered 12 deaths for each 100,000 live births yearly. Nonetheless, things are looking up due to continued efforts to reduce the maternal mortality rate.
In addition to the nine states that managed to achieve the target agreed under the UNMDG, another 39 states made visible progress. WHO and World Bank report explains decline of maternal mortality stating that developing countries are lagging behind, maternal mortality remaining almost unchanged related to pregnancy.
Efforts to bring better hygiene as well as medical policies aimed at improving the chances of mothers at survival (reducing the risk of infection, reducing the risk of bleeding out) have played an important role in bringing the maternal mortality rate down globally.
At the same time, emphasis placed on identifying probable fatal conditions that can lead to maternal death as well as strong implementation of sexual education, sexual health, reproductive health programs in addition to family planning programs have helped curb the maternal mortality rate.
Health officials with the World Health Organization hope that the same steps will be followed in developing countries and the few regions where the maternal mortality rate is still above the global average. 99 percent of mothers dying giving birth are in developing countries. On the other side of the scale, the maternal mortality rate in the U.S. is currently at 14 per 100,000.
In 2000, UN member states made a pledge comprised in the UNMDGs to curb maternal mortality rates. This is defined as a woman dying during pregnancy, during childbirth or 6 weeks following the birth of her child.
This year, the UNMDGs have been updated. Maternal mortality rate should decrease to 70 deaths per 100,000 births at a global level by the end of the new framework.
Photo Credits: Pixabay
