316 Zimbabwean women die during labour

Sixteen women died while giving birth throughout the country last November, the Ministry of Health and Child Care has revealed.

This brings to 316 the number of mothers who succumbed to maternal mortality from January last until November. The latest deaths were recorded in Chimanimani (two), Mutare (two) and Chipinge (one), all in Manicaland province. Others were Chirumanzu district in Midlands province (one death), Masvingo district in Masvingo province (five), Harare City (two), Mazowe district in Mashonaland Central province (one), Chikomba district in Mashonaland East province (one) and Mpilo Central Hospital (two).

According to the World Health Organisation, maternal death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.

The major causes of maternal deaths include haemorrhage, infection, high blood pressure, unsafe abortion and obstructed labour.