Making the World a Healthier Place for Mothers: Trends and Opportunities for Action in Maternal Health
2019
This report published by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington draws attention to prevailing maternal health issues and the challenges they possess. The report addresses not only maternal deaths, but a range of issues and complications affecting women during and after pregnancy. IHME found that disabling conditions related to pregnancy include obstructed labor and uterine rupture, maternal hypertension, and maternal hemorrhage. Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest rate of disability due to maternal disorders, whereas Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania had the lowest rates in 2017. Worldwide, maternal deaths decreased by 37% between 2000 and 2017, potentially due to efforts and funding by the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report emphasizes the underlying principles that having a baby should be safe throughout the world, and the global community must commit to improving women’s lives and health mothers to increase the chances of raising healthy children who will have other positive outcomes in life. The report also stresses the need for continuing research to better understand disorders and risk factors, and preventing pregnancy-related disability and death. Accompanying the report is a Maternal Health Atlas data visualization created by the IHME.
Source:
Making the World a Healthier Place for Mothers: Trends and Opportunities for Action in Maternal Health. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation 2019. https://www.healthdata.org/research-analysis/library/making-world-healthier-place-mothers-trends-and-opportunities-action.