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A healthy pregnancy
begins before conception
and continues with
prenatal care, with early
recognition and
management of
complications if they
arise. Health care
providers can help women
prepare for pregnancy and
for any potential problems
during pregnancy. Early
initiation of prenatal care
by pregnant women, and
continuous monitoring of
pregnancy by health
providers, are key to
preventing pregnancyrelated complications and
death.
In 2013, 289 000 women
died from complications
JOY FEELINGS MAGAZINE
related to pregnancy or
childbirth. In addition, for
every woman who dies in
childbirth, around 20 more
suffer injury, infection or
disease – approximately
10 million women each
year.
Five direct complications
account for most of
maternal deaths:
haemorrhage, infection,
unsafe abortion, eclampsia
(very high blood pressure
leading to seizures), and
obstructed labour. While
these are the main causes
of maternal death,
unavailable, inaccessible,
unaffordable, or poor
quality care is
fundamentally
responsible. Maternal
deaths are detrimental to
social development and
wellbeing, as some 1
million children are left