Mother and child health in Mozambique

11 Mozambican women die every day due to complications arising during pregnancy and childbirth. In a year, the death toll adds up to 3,840 women - for every 100,000 live births, 480 women die ... It is true that some other African countries have worse maternal mortality rates than Mozambique, and Guebuza mentioned the case of Mali, where 1000 women die for every 100,000 live births. Yet there is nothing inevitable about shockingly high death rates. In developed countries, death during childbirth is extremely rare. Guebuza cited Ireland, where there are now just two maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births, "Of all health indicators, it is the maternal mortality rate that most reveals the gulf between developed and developing countries" ... "The death of a mother is a tragedy in a family, and a great loss in the community, because she is the moral, social and economic support of the family and the community", declared Guebuza ... As for the infant mortality rate (deaths among children before their first birthday), Guebuza put it at 178 per 1,000 live births. Almost 30 per cent of these deaths (48 per 1,000 live births) took place in the first month of life. The main cause of this neonatal death rate, Guebuza noted, were premature births, low weight at birth (often caused by malnutrition of the mother), asphyxia, sepsis, congenital syphilis, and other illnesses inherited from the mother ... A document from the Health Ministry notes that among the social factors contributing to maternal deaths, are the premature marriage of girls, and high levels of violence against women and children "practiced in the home, but tolerated by the community". One aspect not mentioned in this document, but which certainly plays a significant role in maternal mortality, is back-street abortions ...