Women in developing countries still have a very high risk of dying during pregnancy or childbirth. They often have to suffer this risk a few times during their lives, because the birthrate in their countries is very high.
In these countries, in the year 2000, 450 women died for every 100.000 births. Globally, almost half a million women die every year during pregnancy or childbirth, to which we have to add the million who, because of the lack of proper care during pregnancies or childbirths suffer disabling illnesses (fistula and incontinency, among others) which, if not treated adequately, will cause suffering and humiliation during the rest of their lives.
Qualified medical care during labor is one of the key factors, along with access to emergency obstetric services that can contribute the most to reduce maternal mortality.
In the case of Bangladesh and Egypt, maternal mortality has been reduced by promoting the presence of qualified personnel during childbirth to deal with obstetric complications, and by increasing birth control programs.
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