According to a report, Trends in Maternal Mortality, released by the World Health Organization and other international organizations, the number of women dying due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth had decreased by 34% from an estimated 546,000 in 1990 to 358,000 in 2008. That's good news, but not good enough news--statistically speaking.
While the 34% figure seems impressive, the annual rate of decline is less than half of what is needed to achieve the target of reducing the maternal mortality ratio by 75% between 1990 and 2015. Reaching the target requires an annual average decline of 5.5%, while the 34% decline since 1990 translates into an average annual decline of 2.3%.
Pregnant women still die from four major causes: severe bleeding after childbirth, infections, hypertensive disorders and unsafe abortion. The latest statistics available, for 2008, indicate that about 1,000 women die each day due to these complications. Of those 1,000, 570 lived in sub-Saharan Africa, 300 in South Asia, and five in high-income countries.
Obviously, our nation is considered to be in the latter category, and maternal deaths is not as prevalent a problem here as it is elsewhere in the world. However, it does happen, and when a maternal death occurs, it could be the result of medical malpractice. If you are need of a malpractice law firm with a track record of success, contact The Law Offices of Dr. Bruce G. Fagel at 800/541-9376 or online at www.birthinjurydoctorlawyer.com.
