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Sociodemographic factors
such as age, access to
resources and income
level are significant
indicators of maternal
outcomes. Young mothers
face higher risks of
complications and death
during pregnancy than
older mothers, especially
adolescents aged 15 years
or younger. Adolescents
have higher risks for
postpartum hemorrhage,
puerperal endometritis,
operative vaginal delivery,
episiotomy, low birth
weight, preterm delivery,
and small-for-gestationalage infants, all of which
can lead to maternal death.
Structural support and
family support influences
maternal outcomes.
Furthermore, social
disadvantage and social
isolation adversely affects
maternal health which can
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lead to increases in
maternal death.
Additionally, lack of
access to skilled medical
care during childbirth, the
travel distance to the
nearest clinic to receive
proper care, number of
prior births, barriers to
accessing prenatal medical
care and poor
infrastructure all increase
maternal deaths.
Unsafe abortion is another
major cause of maternal
death. According to the
World Health
Organization, every eight
minutes a woman dies
from complications arising
from unsafe abortions.
Complications include
hemorrhage, infection,
sepsis and genital trauma
Globally, preventable
deaths from improperly
performed procedures