Complications during pregnancy - epidemiology and risk factors

Abstract

Pregnancy is a normal, healthy state which most women aspire to at some point in their lives. Yet this normal process carries with it serious risks of death and disability to mother, child or both. The worst outcome of these complications is maternal or fetal death. In this work, the focus will be on maternal death, maternal mortality ratio worldwide, causes and to review what is done in order to prevent and decrease the high number of avoidable deaths. The fact is that worldwide, eight million women suffer pregnancy-related complications and over half a million young women die every year as a result of complications arising from pregnancy and childbirth. 99% occur in developing countries. Most of these deaths could be avoided if preventive measures were taken and adequate care available, this including adequate nutrition, improved hygiene practices, family planning available for all, antenatal care, skilled health workers assisting at births, emergency obstetric and newborn care, and postnatal visits for both mothers and newborns. In developing countries, one woman in 16 may die of pregnancy-related complications compared to one in 2800 in developed countries.