Maternal mortalities is a phrase that refers to the number of women who die during childbirth or within 42 days after giving birth. The spelling of this phrase is comprised of two words that sound very similar but have different meanings. Maternal is pronounced /məˈtərnəl/ and refers to anything related to motherhood. Mortalities, on the other hand, is pronounced /mɔrˈtælɪtiz/ and refers to the number of deaths in a particular population. Combined, these words describe a serious and urgent issue that affects women and families around the world.
Maternal mortalities refer to the occurrences of deaths among pregnant women and new mothers or within a specified period after the termination of pregnancy, typically within 42 days. It is a critical indicator of the quality of a country's healthcare system, reflecting the risks and complications faced by women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Maternal mortality rates are often expressed as a ratio per 100,000 live births.
These mortalities can arise from various causes, including severe bleeding (postpartum hemorrhage), infection, high blood pressure during pregnancy (preeclampsia and eclampsia), complications from unsafe abortions, obstructed labor, and medical conditions such as pre-existing heart or respiratory diseases. Maternal mortalities can also result from the lack of access to timely and adequate medical care before, during, and after childbirth.
Reducing maternal mortality rates is a global health priority as it signifies progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to ensure good health and well-being for all. Governments, healthcare providers, non-governmental organizations, and international bodies have concerted efforts to improve maternal health services, increase skilled birth attendants, enhance access to emergency obstetric care, promote family planning, and prioritize comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare for women.
Efforts to combat maternal mortalities include improving antenatal and postnatal care, educating women about pregnancy complications, ensuring safe and hygienic birthing practices, ensuring access to skilled birth attendants, providing emergency obstetric care, and strengthening healthcare systems with adequate infrastructure, trained healthcare professionals, and essential medical supplies. Addressing social determinants of health, empowerment of women, and promoting gender equality are equally crucial in reducing maternal mortalities.
The etymology of the word "maternal mortalities" can be broken down as follows:
1. Maternal: The word "maternal" is derived from the Latin word "maternus", which means "related to a mother". It can also be traced back to the Latin word "mater", meaning "mother".
2. Mortalities: The term "mortalities" is derived from the Latin word "mortalitas", which is derived from "mortalis", meaning "subject to death" or "mortal". It refers to the condition or fact of being subject to death or mortality.
When combined, "maternal mortalities" refers to the deaths of mothers or women who die due to complications related to pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum period.