Maternal Mortality; Getting the facts right.

Maternal mortality is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy irrespective of the site and duration of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.

The above is the WHO DEFINITION of maternal mortality. While most developed countries seems to be reducing her maternal mortality figures, some developing countries like our dear Nigeria is a bit slow in this regard.

The 5 leading cause of maternal mortality in our environment are
1) Post Partum Haemorrhage - 65%
2) Obstructed Labour - 25%
3) Eclampsia - 15%
4) Unsafe Abortions and its Complications - 12%
5) Sepsis - 8%

So with the right policies and the requisite training of both medical and non-medical staff, the high figures will be brought down to the bearest minimum.