Maternal Health MATERNAL MORTALITY-A NEGLECTED TRAGEDY

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 500 000 women in developing countries die every year from complications of pregnancy, abortion attempts, and childbirth.’ 100-300 maternal deaths per 100 000 births are common in the Third World, and rates are much higher in rural areas.2 In contrast developed countries have only 7-15 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births. Morbidity rates are rarely available, but it is certain that for every woman who dies many more have serious, often long-term, complications. Most of the deaths are preventable, yet little is being done to reduce this source of unnecessary suffering and death. Although in recent years much attention has been given to "maternal and child health" (MCH), scrutiny of MCH programmes shows that most of them will do little to reduce maternal mortality. It is difficult to understand why maternal mortality receives so little serious attention from health professionals, policy makers, and politicians. The world’s obstetricians are particularly neglectful of their duty in this regard. Instead of drawing attention to the problem and lobbying for major programmes and changes in priorities, most obstetricians concentrate on subspecialties that puts emphasis on high technology. By reviewing the issue here