Maternal mortality in developing countries. An ongoing but neglected 'epidemic'
A. Rosenfield
Columbia University School of Public Health, New York, NY 10032.
Maternal mortality is one of the great neglected problems of health care in
developing countries. The World Health Organization estimates that
approximately 500,000 women die each year from pregnancy-related causes,
more than 98% of these deaths occurring in the developing world. Maternal
mortality rates in developing countries are as much as 100 times higher
than those seen in industrialized countries. The most common causes include
obstructed labor and ruptured uterus, postpartum hemorrhage, eclampsia,
postpartum infection, and complications of illegal abortion. It is
suggested that no new or costly technologies are needed; rather that
appropriate priority-setting and allocation of needed resources are
essential to the solution of the problem. There are few interventions that
hold much hope of success at the village level, although antibiotics,
ergonovine maleate, and sedatives might be usefully utilized, after
appropriate training. Overall, however, networks of maternity care
facilities, trained personnel, and means of transport are necessary to
provide needed emergency maternity care services.
