What causes mothers to die from pregnancy? Here is some background information about the causes of maternal mortality and the risk factors for ALL women who become pregnant.
RISK FACTORS
- Advanced maternal age (risks increase dramatically for mothers after age 37)
- Low educational attainment
- High parity (parity= births, the more children a woman gives birth to, the higher the risk)
- Lack of prenatal care (nutrition counseling, missed opportunities for screenings, wellbeing checks, etc)
CAUSES OF MATERNAL MORTALITY
These are the most common causes of death for mothers and can be divided into direct and indirect causes. Keep in mind that a majority of maternal deaths occur 24-48 hours after delivery.
DIRECT- Known as the “Big 5”:
- Hemorrhage– severe bleeding or blood loss during birth process
- Puerperal sepsis– infection of genital tract following labor
- Eclampsia- women with preeclampsia who suffer seizures that occur during or after birth, and can lead to a coma
- Pre-eclampsia: characterized by high blood pressure and high levels of protein in the urine
- Unsafe abortion– termination of a pregnancy either by someone lacking proper skills or in an unsanitary environment
- Obstructed labor– baby is physically blocked from passing through birth canal (vagina)
INDIRECT-caused by a preexisting disease, or conditions developed during pregnancy that are aggravated due to the physiological effects of pregnancy.
Common indirect causes include HIV, tuberculosis, severe malaria, meningitis, and pneumonia.
Obstetric transition
The US and other high-GDP countries have witnessed an “Obstetric Transition,” similar to the epidemiological transition, from direct causes to indirect causes being responsible for the majority of maternal deaths.