Over 1 lakh maternal deaths due to bleeding and high BP: reveals WHO

New Delhi: According to a new WHO study, severe bleeding and high blood pressure disorders like preeclampsia cause over 1 lakh pregnancy-related deaths worldwide.

In 2020, there were an estimated 287,000 maternal deaths in total—equivalent to one death every two minutes.

A study published in The Lancet Global Health has found that haemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal mortality, responsible for 27% (approximately 80,000) of deaths, primarily occurring during or after childbirth. Additionally, preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders contribute to a significant number of maternal deaths, accounting for 16% (around 50,000) of fatalities.

Preeclampsia is a severe condition marked by high blood pressure, which can cause life-threatening complications, including haemorrhage, strokes, organ failure, and seizures, if not treated promptly or left untreated.

“Understanding why pregnant women and mothers are dying is critical for tackling the world’s lingering maternal mortality crisis and ensuring women have the best possible chances of surviving childbirth,” said Dr. Pascale Allotey, Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research at WHO.

“This is also a massive equity issue globally—women everywhere need high-quality, evidence-based health care before, during, and after delivery, as well as efforts to prevent and treat other underlying conditions that jeopardise their health,” Allotey said.

The study also found that infectious and chronic diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, anaemia, and diabetes, contribute to 23% of pregnancy and childbirth-related deaths.

These conditions often go undiagnosed or untreated until severe complications arise, putting millions of women worldwide at increased risk and complicating their pregnancies.

Other direct causes of maternal deaths include sepsis, infections, pulmonary embolism, and complications from abortions, such as miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies, and unsafe abortions.

Alarmingly, around a third of women, mainly in lower-income countries, do not receive crucial postnatal care in the first days after birth.

The study emphasises the need to enhance maternity care, particularly antenatal services, to detect pregnancy risks early and prevent severe complications.

(inputs from IANS)