Maternal mortality: preventing the tragedy in developing countries.
Maternal mortality in childbirth has been, until recently, a neglected tragedy in most developing countries. Rates of maternal deaths range from 300 to 700/100 000 live births, from 50 to 100 times greater in developing than in developed countries. The major direct obstetric causes include illegal abortions, hemorrhage, sepsis, obstructed labour, ruptured uterus, and pregnancy-induced hypertension. During the past decade, increased recognition of this problem has led to the "Safe Motherhood Initiative" by the World Health Organization in 1987, which has been integrated into the goal of "Health for All by the Year 2000." The training of traditional birth attendants (who attend from 40% to 60% of births in developing countries) is seen as one of the most important ways to improve obstetric care in remote rural villages.
A J
AJ
Reid
Lancet. 1987 Mar 21;1(8534):668-70
2882090
Soc Sci Med. 1982;16(21):1825-34
7178928
Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 1985 Dec;23(6):463-70
2868940
Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1985 Oct;92 Suppl 5:1-119
4052352
Int J Epidemiol. 1988 Mar;17(1):115-21
3384529
Lancet. 1986 Mar 1;1(8479):486-8
2869218
Trop Doct. 1976 Jul;6(3):118-25
785734
J Epidemiol Community Health. 1979 Jun;33(2):142-4
490094
Soc Sci Med. 1987;24(6):551-8
3296223
Lancet. 1988 Feb 20;1(8582):416-7
2893217
Lancet. 1984 Oct 20;2(8408):912-4
6148628