Hemorrhage and eclampsia are the leading reasons of maternal death worldwide with causing 55 percent mortality in the country, according to a recent official survey.
“Ante and postpartum hemorrhage cause 31 percent of maternal deaths and eclampsia and preeclampsia cause 24 per cent, which are the most common causes of maternal mortality, followed by indirect reasons cause (20 percent), abortions (7 percent) and obstructed or prolonged labor (3 percent),” Director (Research) of National Institute of Population Research and Training (NIPORT) Dr M Rafiqul Islam Sarker told media.
The data was found in a recent survey titled ‘Bangladesh Maternal Mortality and Health Care survey (BMMS)-2016’ conducted by NIPORT.
According to health experts, the rates of eclampsia, maternal complications, and maternal mortality remain high in the developing countries.
“Ante and postpartum hemorrhage are the major causes of deaths among women aged between 20-30 years old, particularly among women aged 30-40 years old while eclampsia and preeclampsia cause death among women aged less than 40 years old,” Dr Sarker said.
“Obstructed or prolonged labor are most common among the young women aged 15-19 years old,” he said, adding “Abortion-related deaths are higher among women aged 30-40 years old and indirect obstetrics are most common among women aged between 25-39 years old,” he added.
“Both the BMMS-2010 and BMMS-2016 surveys found that the proportionate contribution of hemorrhage to all maternal deaths remained unchanged. The mortality ratio due to hemorrhage also unchanged in both surveys,” NIPORT Deputy Director Subrata Kumar Bhadra told.
“The mortality ratio due to eclampsia increased from 39 per 100,000 live births in BMMS 2010 to 46 per 100,000 live births in BMMS 2016 while the proportionate contribution of eclampsia to all maternal deaths increased from 20 percent to 24 percent,” he added.
Preeclampsia occurs any time after the 20th week of pregnancy. It can even develop up to six weeks after the baby is born but this is uncommon.
According to BMMS-2016 survey, Over 50 per cent of deliveries are being occurred at home while government is distributing misoprostol — a medication used to start labor, cause an abortion, prevent and treat stomach ulcers, and treat postpartum bleeding due to poor contraction of the uterus — to prevent hemorrhage among 17 percent while delivery.
“Just 40 per cent of all facilities (excluding community clinics) get supplies of injectable osytocin to stop hemorrhage and only 28 per cent receives injectable magnesium sulphate to treat eclampsia,” said the report.
As hemorrhage and eclampsia are the main causes of maternal mortality in our country, the experts suggested, more preventive interventions need to be prioritized.
They emphasized creating awareness among people and urged to make the deliveries under trained midwives for reducing maternal deaths.
