Pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood are still deadly in much of the world. Here’s why

A pregnant woman or new mother dies every two minutes – and most of these deaths are preventable, according to a new global analysis.

Worldwide in 2020, there were an estimated 287,000 maternal deaths, which occur anytime during pregnancy through six weeks after childbirth and are directly related to pregnancy, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Nearly all maternal deaths are in low-income countries, with women in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia facing particularly high risks.

The new analysis is the WHO’s first global update in more than a decade on why these deaths are happening.

The findings offer clues on how to save the lives of pregnant women and new mothers in high-risk countries and around the world.

“The interventions, they're not rocket science,” Dr Jenny Cresswell, a WHO scientist and the study’s lead author, told Euronews Health.

Between 2009 and 2020, the report found, the most common causes worldwide were haemorrhage – severe bleeding, usually during childbirth or immediately afterward – as well as preeclampsia and other issues related to high blood pressure, which can lead to stroke or organ failure if left untreated.

Health problems exacerbated by pregnancy, such as infections or chronic conditions, were another major driver, according to the study, which was published in the Lancet Global Health journal.

Other top causes included sepsis, blocked blood vessels, and abortion complications.

Few countries had data on maternal mental health problems, but the researchers said suicide is a key concern for women in their first year of motherhood.

Maternal deaths are the “canary in the coal mine” that warn there are broader health, societal, and political problems, said Joyce Browne, an associate professor