Key Points
287,000 maternal deaths recorded globally in 2020
Hemorrhage responsible for 27% of maternal mortality
Hypertensive disorders contribute to 16% of deaths
In 2020, there were an estimated 287,000 maternal deaths in total - equivalent to one death every two minutes.
The study, published in the journal The Lancet Global Health, showed that haemorrhage -- mostly occurring during or following childbirth -- is responsible for nearly a third (27 per cent or 80,000) of maternal mortality, with preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders contributing to an additional 16 per cent or 50,000 deaths.
Preeclampsia is a serious condition characterised by high blood pressure that can lead to haemorrhage, strokes, organ failures, and seizures if left untreated or treated too late.
"Understanding why pregnant women and mothers are dying is critical for tackling the world's lingering maternal mortality crisis and ensuring women have the best possible chances of surviving childbirth," said Dr Pascale Allotey, Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research at WHO.
"This is also a massive equity issue globally - women everywhere need high quality, evidence-based health care before, during, and after delivery, as well as efforts to prevent and treat other underlying conditions that jeopardise their health," Allotey said.
Further, the study also reported other health conditions such as infectious and chronic diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, anaemias, and diabetes, underpinning nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of pregnancy and childbirth-related mortality.
These conditions, which often go undetected or untreated until major complications occur, exacerbate risk and complicate pregnancies for millions of women around the world, said the researchers.
Sepsis and infections; pulmonary embolism; complications from spontaneous and induced abortions -- including miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies, and issues relating to unsafe abortions -- were the other direct causes of maternal deaths.
Notably, around a third of women -- primarily in lower-income countries - - still do not receive essential postnatal checks in the first days after birth.
The findings highlight the need to strengthen key aspects of maternity care, including antenatal services that detect risks early in pregnancy and prevent severe complications.
