[Reading Science] Mothers Are at Risk from War, Refugees, and Epidemics

UN "Maternal Mortality Decline Stagnant Over Past 5 Years"
800 Women Die Daily in 2020, One Every 2 Minutes
2030 Reduction Target 'Effectively Out of Reach'

'800 deaths per day, 1 death every 2 minutes.' This is not about war, diseases like COVID-19, or large-scale disasters. It is the number of mothers dying during the pregnancy and childbirth process, which should be the safest time. Although countries worldwide are striving to reduce this number, recent external factors such as war, refugees, and infectious diseases have caused stagnation.

The World Health Organization (WHO), under the United Nations (UN), announced on the 23rd that an investigation into maternal mortality worldwide between 2000 and 2020 showed this trend. As of 2020, one woman died every 2 minutes during pregnancy and childbirth globally. This amounts to about 800 deaths per day. There were 223 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.

This figure is far from the UN’s target of 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births to be achieved by 2030. Marie Nell Wegner, head of the US nonprofit organization Brindle Foundation, told the international academic journal Nature, "Until 2016, when the goal was set, it seemed achievable, but now it appears distant."

Pregnant woman. Stock photo. Not related to the article.

There has certainly been progress. Compared to 2000, there was a 33% decrease. In 2020, about 287,000 people died due to pregnancy-related causes, a significant reduction from 446,000 in 2000. Most countries worldwide have seen a substantial decline in maternal deaths over the past 20 years. The global maternal mortality rate per 100,000 live births dropped from the low 300s in 2000 to the low 200s in 2020, a decrease of over 100. South Korea also saw a reduction from 16 in 2000 to 8 in 2020, halving the rate. In 2000, when approximately 586,000 births occurred, 91 mothers died; in 2020, with about 294,000 births, 24 mothers died.

However, since the UN set the target of 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2016, progress has stalled. From 2000 to 2015, the global maternal mortality rate decreased by more than 3% annually. Since then, it has plateaued. To meet the 2030 goal, a 12% annual reduction is required, which currently seems practically impossible. Particularly, eight countries including the United States, Greece, and Cyprus have seen an increase in maternal deaths since 2000. Regional disparities are also severe. For example, in sub-Saharan conflict zones such as Chad, Nigeria, and South Sudan, the situation is dire, with at least 1 maternal death per 100 live births. Even within the same country, economic and social conditions cause significant variation. In India, over 60% of the 23,800 maternal deaths in 2020 occurred among women living in poor states. The highest risk of death was in rural and tribal areas of northern India.

Maternal deaths have various causes, ranging from excessive bleeding to infections during abortion procedures. Factors such as income, race, and ethnicity also influence outcomes. However, most causes are preventable but are effectively ignored, putting women at risk. For example, in Nepal, pregnant women often do not attend regular check-ups, lack insurance, and must wait too long to receive medical benefits. Poor road conditions make accessing medical facilities difficult, and even when reaching hospitals, receiving the desired treatment is challenging.

In recent years, external factors such as global wars, large-scale refugee crises, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic have compounded and worsened the situation worldwide. Wegner expressed concern, saying, "The stagnation in the global decline of maternal mortality is unacceptable and shocking," adding, "The COVID-19 pandemic has strained healthcare systems since 2020 and widened disparities between countries, making reliable data collection difficult."