Maternal mortality in Nigeria

The Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON), a FIGO National Member Society, has stated that there were at least 11,600 maternal deaths in the country over the last three months - a figure that equates to around 45 cases a day.

Speaking at the Lagos West I Senatorial District Town Hall meeting for maternal and child mortality reduction programme, Chairman of the Lagos State Chapter of the Society Dr Oluwarotimi Akinola explained these figures mean that Nigeria has the second highest amount of maternal deaths after India and accounts for a "disproportionate" ten per cent of global maternal deaths.

"The major causes of the high maternal mortality rate in Nigeria are hemorrhage infection, hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, obstructed labour and anaemia," Vanguard cites him as saying.

Dr Akinola said that any effort which seeks to address the situation and improve the figures must tackle the root causes of delays that women have seeking health care and receiving help at health centres.