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  • Title: [To be a woman in Africa. On the danger of being a mother. Mortality].
    Author: Sow F.
    Journal: Vivre Autrement; 1994 Oct; (Spec No):13-4. PubMed ID: 12179397.
    Abstract:
    Losing their life while giving birth is a risk that too many women face. More than 33% of all maternal deaths each year occur in Africa, which has less than 12% of the world's population. 30-60% of deaths among African women aged 15-44 are pregnancy-related. Africa has the highest global maternal mortality rate. Its rural areas have an even greater maternal mortality rate. Common causes of maternal death are hemorrhaging, infections, anemia, vascular-renal problems, and abortion complications. In Asia and Africa, girls receive a lower quality and quantity of food than boys. They are also taken for medical care later and when in a more serious state. The lack of attention directed to medical care in early childhood is extended to adolescence, when girls are exposed to the risks of pregnancy and premature births. The culture protects young single mothers less than young wives. Single mothers hide their pregnancy and avoid medical visits. Others try to terminate the pregnancy. In developing countries, 25% of pregnancies are terminated. Menopausal women in Africa also face health risks (e.g., uterine cancer). Few underequipped health centers, lack of personnel, and the relative high cost of medical fees contribute to high maternal mortality rates. In Burkina Faso in 1985, there was only one gynecologist, one midwife, and one maternity hospital for every 225,000, 6250, and 69,230 women of reproductive age, respectively. Access to quality care is still a luxury. The recent devaluation of the CFA franc and the total destabilization of the zaire only exacerbates the awful status of women's lives in Africa. Priorities should be: ensuring prevention and treatment of obstetrical problems, increasing information on pregnancy risks, making family planning services accessible, and improving the quality of care. The most important priority is to let women have control over their own bodies, sexuality, and fertility. An inalienable right of women is to not have to die during childbirth.
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