The statistics are even more tragic -- 1 in 12 -- when we look at East and West Africa as separate from the rest of Africa. And in Ethiopia alone the maternal mortality rate is 1 in 7 where less than 10 percent of the births involve any kind of pre-during-post health care. But the reasons for the higher maternal mortality rate in Africa are mostly the same as for all poor women throughout the world...just much more of it:
1. Early marriage and childbearing that includes the under 20 and over 40 years. 2. Giving birth 4 times or more. 3. Unsafe abortions. 4. Lack of essential obstetric health care. 5. Lack of knowledge of reproduction/contraception. 6. Poor maternal health and malnutrition in general.
The above factors the result of:
Lack of education Lack of income independent of a man Lack of real decision-making at home Lack of voting rights Lack of owning land
And these factors the result of...well...[insert various oppressive forces]
Diane