Maternal Mortality Rates in Afghanistan highest in the world

According to the Afghan Minister of Health, Sayyed Mohammad Amin Fatemi, the maternal mortality rate in Afghanistan is the highest in the world. 1,600 women die of pregnancy related causes out of 100,000 live births. The Ministry has placed a number of health counselors in different locations to address a to lack of understanding of pregnancy and hygiene among rural women, which Fatemi said adds to the problem, Herat-based publication "Pagah" reported.
UNICEF’s strategies for tackling maternal mortality place emphasis on access to prenatal services, such as provision of a nutritious diet and regular health check-ups by a health worker. The likelihood of complications during childbirth is greatly reduced by the presence of a trained birth attendant, as well as by the availability of emergency obstetric care should the need arise. UNICEF, in partnership with NGOs and the Government Ministry of Child Health, is working to reduce the dangers of childbearing by proliferating vital services for pregnant women in Afghanistan.

For more information see RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 10, No. 188, Part III, 12 October 2006 available here.
For more information on UNICEF’s efforts to reduce maternal mortality in Afghanistan, click here.