Story highlights
For many African women, giving birth is a dangerous process
440 women in sub-Saharan Africa die giving birth every day
Many African women cannot access adequate care during pregnancy, says campaigner
As the world celebrates the long-awaited addition to the British royal family, it is worth taking some time to reflect on the women around the world for whom childbirth is not such a joyous, beautiful and celebrated occasion.
Every year in sub-Saharan Africa, 162,000 mothers die needlessly because of complications during pregnancy and childbirth. That figure represents a http://www.whattoexpect.com/what-to-expect/landing-page.aspx staggering 56% of the global total. For an African woman, one of the most natural of events in a woman's life -- giving birth -- is also one of the most dangerous. As a result, each year close to 1 million African children are left motherless.
Many of these deaths are avoidable, but not enough is being done to prevent them. Since the turn of the last century, maternal mortality rates worldwide have been in decline but remain high in developing countries, including many African nations. For these maternal death rates to improve in Africa, governments and international institutions must recognize and introduce policies that tackle the challenges faced by African women in accessing effective reproductive healthcare.
