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Where childbirth is a gamble with life
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The chances of a woman dying in childbirth in Niger are one in seven, says a recent UNICEF study . The odds of a similar fate in Ireland, which has the lowest maternal death rate in the world, are one in 48,000.
As a pregnant woman in the United States, I take for granted the monthly doctor visits and the periodic ultrasounds. My biggest worry on delivery day is who will watch my older son while I am at the hospital. That I will have competent nurses, a licensed doctor, and a clean delivery room is a given, provided I make it to the hospital in time, as virtually every American does.
Such luxuries are unheard of in many African countries. Women in rural areas often lack the means to get to a hospital, and give birth on their own dirt floors without a doctor. Even those women who go to hospitals must often bring with them their own supplies, including sutures and medication, according to The Washington Post.
As a result, even the slightest complication during delivery can be lethal. More than half a million women worldwide die giving birth every year because of hemorrhaging, high blood pressure, infection, preeclampsia, and obstructed labor. More than 99 percent of these deaths occur in developing countries, according to UNICEF.
Unfortunately, while scores of international philanthropies focus on children’s health issues, very few watch out for the children's mothers during what is perhaps most dangerous day of their lives.
For those of you feeling generous this holiday season, here are a few international aid organizations that strive to reduce maternal mortality. Give a child the gift of her mother this Christmas.
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