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MPs warn of risks to maternal health around the world

02/03/2008

A cross-party group of MPs has warned of the risks to maternal health present across the world and called for greater efforts to solve the problem.

The House of Commons international development committee's Maternal Health report, which was released on Mother's Day, points out that a lack of political will on the international and national level had meant that expecting mothers in developing world still faced health risks.

In its report, the parliamentary committee warned that 1,000 women in the developing world died of problems during childbirth for every woman who lost her life during delivery in the UK.

The report added that at the current rate, millennium development goals of cutting maternal deaths by up to 75 per cent by 2015 would not be met. It also warned that a lack of data meant that figures relating to deaths during childbirth could be underestimated.

Committee chairman Malcolm Bruce said: "Whilst the number of maternal deaths for 2005 is cited as 536,000, the figure could be as high as 872,000. We fear that the higher figure could indeed be nearer the truth."

He added that women who survived childbirth also faced serious health issues later in life. According to the report, for each woman who died in labour, 30 others suffered disability, injury or ill-health due to pregnancy.

International development secretary Douglas Alexander said: "Improving maternal health is one of the biggest challenges facing developing countries, but without reliable statistics, basic healthcare and an improvement in the status of women, it will remain one of the most stubborn millennium development goals to tackle."

Mr Alexander said the prime minister would continue to support efforts to improve maternal health around the world.