mütterdødelighed

Mütterdødelighed, often translated as maternal mortality, refers to the death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, regardless of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management. This is distinct from infant mortality, which concerns the death of a newborn.

The vast majority of maternal deaths are preventable. Common causes include severe bleeding, infections, high blood pressure during pregnancy (preeclampsia and eclampsia), complications from delivery, and unsafe abortion. Socioeconomic factors, access to healthcare, quality of care, and geographical location significantly influence maternal mortality rates.

Measuring maternal mortality is crucial for understanding the health of women and the effectiveness of maternal healthcare systems. Rates are typically expressed as the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Global efforts to reduce maternal mortality focus on improving access to skilled birth attendants, emergency obstetric care, family planning services, and prenatal and postnatal care. Significant progress has been made in reducing maternal deaths worldwide, but disparities persist, particularly in low-income countries.