The five causes of maternal death are postpartum hemorrhage, puerperal sepsis, hypertensive disorders, unsafe abortion and obstructed labor.
Obstructed labor is a difficult labor in which the baby can't exit the pelvis naturally due to a physical blockage, which can lead to a ruptured uterus without medical help.
Unsafe abortion, leads to complications that result from pregnancy terminations that are done by untrained abortion providers or unsafe conditions.
Hypertensive disorders are a result of dangerous spikes in blood pressure, which lead to pre-eclampsia or eclampsia during pregnancy or during birth.
Puerperal sepsis, involves serious infections of the woman's reproductive tract, which occur during labor or the postpartum period.
And postpartum hemorrhage is severe, excessive bleeding that occurs after birth.
Globally, around 75% of maternal deaths are caused by five main direct obstetric complications: severe bleeding (hemorrhage), infections (sepsis), high blood pressure disorders (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia), complications from unsafe abortions, and obstructed labor.
Maternal death, also known as maternal demise, or maternal mortality, is the death of a woman while pregnant or within a specified time after a pregnancy ends.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracks deaths up to one year postpartum, while the World Health Organization (WHO) typically measures deaths during pregnancy or within 42 days of termination.
Major medical causes of maternal death include severe bleeding, high blood pressure, and heart conditions, though a significant portion of deaths are considered preventable.
Common Causes of maternal death include cardiovascular and heart conditions: Heart disease, stroke, and cardiomyopathy.
Obstetric emergencies: Severe postpartum hemorrhage (heavy bleeding) and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (high blood pressure).
Infections: Post-delivery or surgical site infections.
Mental health and external factors: Mental health conditions, suicide, and homicide.
Warning Signs of maternal death include:
Severe, persistent headache.
Extreme swelling of the face or hands.
Heavy vaginal bleeding or blood clots.
Trouble breathing or chest pain.
Overwhelming sadness, anxiety, or thoughts of self-harm.