{"id":1237,"date":"2025-04-16T16:57:41","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T15:57:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/?p=1237"},"modified":"2025-04-16T16:57:44","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T15:57:44","slug":"why-are-so-many-nigerian-women-still-dying-during-childbirth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/why-are-so-many-nigerian-women-still-dying-during-childbirth\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Are So Many Nigerian Women Still Dying During Childbirth?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Every day, women in Nigeria die while giving life. It\u2019s a heartbreaking reality\u2014<strong>too many mothers don\u2019t survive pregnancy and childbirth<\/strong>, and the numbers are still rising. But why is this happening, and what can be done?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s break it down in simple terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is Maternal Mortality?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Maternal mortality means a woman dies while pregnant, during childbirth, or shortly after giving birth. These deaths are often <strong>preventable<\/strong> if the right care and support are given on time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s Happening in Nigeria?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Nigeria has one of the <strong>highest rates of maternal death in the world<\/strong>. A recent study from a major hospital in South-western Nigeria looked at what happened over 13 years (from 2007 to 2019), and the results are worrying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The number of women dying during childbirth <strong>increased each year<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Most of the women who died were <strong>in their early 30s<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nearly <strong>9 out of 10 women<\/strong> who died had <strong>not registered for antenatal care<\/strong> at the hospital.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Are These Women Dying?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the main causes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Severe Bleeding<\/strong><br>Losing too much blood during or after delivery is a major cause of death.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy<\/strong><br>This can lead to serious problems like seizures or stroke if not treated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Infections (Sepsis)<\/strong><br>Infections after childbirth can quickly become life-threatening.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Anaemia<\/strong><br>When a woman\u2019s blood is too weak or lacking iron, it can cause serious problems in pregnancy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>HIV and Sickle Cell Disease<\/strong><br>These health conditions can make pregnancy much riskier if not well-managed.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s the Big Problem?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the biggest problems is that <strong>many women do not attend antenatal clinics<\/strong> or book their pregnancies at a hospital. Without regular checkups, it\u2019s hard to catch problems early. So when emergencies happen, it\u2019s often too late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Can We Do?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s how we can start saving more mothers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Encourage early antenatal care<\/strong><br>Every pregnant woman should visit a clinic as soon as she knows she\u2019s pregnant\u2014and keep going regularly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Raise awareness<\/strong><br>Communities need to understand the dangers of giving birth without proper medical care.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strengthen emergency care<\/strong><br>Hospitals need to be ready to act fast when problems like bleeding or infection occur.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Support women with chronic conditions<\/strong><br>Women with anaemia, HIV, or sickle cell disease need extra care and monitoring during pregnancy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Giving birth should be a time of joy, not tragedy. But too many Nigerian women are dying because they don\u2019t get the care they need in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Let\u2019s all play a role\u2014by spreading the word, supporting our loved ones, and pushing for better healthcare services.<\/strong> Every mother deserves a safe birth and a healthy future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Reference: Olamijulo, J.A., Olorunfemi, G. &amp; Okunola, H. Trends and causes of maternal death at the Lagos University teaching hospital, Lagos, Nigeria (2007\u20132019).\u00a0BMC Pregnancy Childbirth\u00a0<strong>22<\/strong>, 360 (2022). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12884-022-04649-4<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every day, women in Nigeria die while giving life. It\u2019s a heartbreaking reality\u2014too many mothers don\u2019t survive pregnancy and childbirth, and the numbers are still rising. But why is this happening, and what can be done? Let\u2019s break it down in simple terms. What Is Maternal Mortality? Maternal mortality means a woman dies while pregnant, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1251,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[89,81,60],"class_list":["post-1237","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-womens-health","tag-fertility","tag-pregnancy","tag-women"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-16-2025-04_55_51-PM-150x150.png","medium":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-16-2025-04_55_51-PM-200x300.png","medium_large":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-16-2025-04_55_51-PM-768x1152.png","large":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-16-2025-04_55_51-PM-683x1024.png","1536x1536":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-16-2025-04_55_51-PM.png","2048x2048":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-16-2025-04_55_51-PM.png"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"mascothealthcare","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e6245491479ada5c011d746103e188e52935679f353558c771f24bdf2eb1c016?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":false,"magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Every day, women in Nigeria die while giving life. It\u2019s a heartbreaking reality\u2014too many mothers don\u2019t survive pregnancy and childbirth, and the numbers are still rising. But why is this happening, and what can be done? Let\u2019s break it down in simple terms. What Is Maternal Mortality? Maternal mortality means a woman dies while pregnant, [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["Women's Health"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":559,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":3,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-16-2025-04_55_51-PM.png",1024,1536,false],"medium":["https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-16-2025-04_55_51-PM-200x300.png",200,300,true],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-16-2025-04_55_51-PM-150x150.png",150,150,true]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"mascothealthcare","author_link":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/author\/mascothealthcare\/"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e6245491479ada5c011d746103e188e52935679f353558c771f24bdf2eb1c016?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/category\/womens-health\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Women's Health<\/a>","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-16-2025-04_55_51-PM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":345,"url":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/maternal-mortality-in-africa-a-silent-crisis-that-demands-urgent-attention\/","url_meta":{"origin":1237,"position":0},"title":"Maternal Mortality in Africa: A Silent Crisis that Demands Urgent Attention","author":"mascothealthcare","date":"July 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Introduction Maternal mortality continues to be a pressing issue globally, with Nigeria being disproportionately affected by this silent crisis. Despite significant advancements in healthcare, a staggering number of women across the country still lose their lives due to pregnancy-related complications. This article sheds light on the factors contributing to maternal\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Healthcare Systems and Policies&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Healthcare Systems and Policies","link":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/category\/healthcare-systems-and-policies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"pregnant woman","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/woman-1284353_640.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/woman-1284353_640.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/woman-1284353_640.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":172,"url":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/vaginal-birth-vs-cesarean-section-making-informed-choices-in-childbirth\/","url_meta":{"origin":1237,"position":1},"title":"Vaginal Birth vs. Cesarean Section: Making Informed Choices in Childbirth","author":"mascothealthcare","date":"July 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Childbirth is a profound and life-changing event in a woman's life. One of the key decisions expectant mothers face is the method of delivery: vaginal birth or cesarean section (C-section). Each approach has its own set of benefits and risks, and the choice often depends on individual circumstances. In this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Child and Adolescent Health&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Child and Adolescent Health","link":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/category\/child-and-adolescent-health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/bed-1839564_640.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/bed-1839564_640.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/bed-1839564_640.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1099,"url":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/dangers-of-malaria-in-pregnancy\/","url_meta":{"origin":1237,"position":2},"title":"Dangers of Malaria in Pregnancy","author":"mascothealthcare","date":"March 8, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Malaria in pregnancy is a serious health concern, particularly here in Nigeria where malaria is endemic. Pregnant women are more vulnerable to severe malaria due to changes in their immune system which creates a favorable environment for the malaria parasite. The disease can have life-threatening consequences for both the mother\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Medical Conditions&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Medical Conditions","link":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/category\/medical-conditions\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"pregnant woman","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/PregnantWoman.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/PregnantWoman.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/PregnantWoman.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":175,"url":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/repeat-cesarean-sections-understanding-the-choice-and-implications\/","url_meta":{"origin":1237,"position":3},"title":"Repeat Cesarean Sections: Understanding the Choice and Implications","author":"mascothealthcare","date":"July 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The choice between a repeat cesarean section (C-section) and a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) is a significant decision that expectant mothers often face when they have had a previous C-section. This decision is influenced by various factors, including medical considerations, personal preferences, and discussions with healthcare providers. In this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Child and Adolescent Health&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Child and Adolescent Health","link":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/category\/child-and-adolescent-health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/21534661_6413866-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/21534661_6413866-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/21534661_6413866-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/21534661_6413866-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/21534661_6413866-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/21534661_6413866-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1377,"url":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/how-soon-can-i-get-pregnant-after-a-vaginal-delivery\/","url_meta":{"origin":1237,"position":4},"title":"How Soon Can I Get Pregnant After a Vaginal Delivery?","author":"mascothealthcare","date":"April 26, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"After a vaginal birth, many women wonder how soon they can safely conceive again. 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This allows your body time to fully recover and reduce the risks associated with having pregnancies too close\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Women's Health&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Women's Health","link":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/category\/womens-health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"mum and baby","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-26-2025-11_14_20-AM.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-26-2025-11_14_20-AM.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-26-2025-11_14_20-AM.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-26-2025-11_14_20-AM.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":712,"url":"https:\/\/mascothealthcare.com\/blog\/what-is-postpartum-depression\/","url_meta":{"origin":1237,"position":5},"title":"What is Postpartum Depression","author":"mascothealthcare","date":"May 11, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Bringing a new life into the world is often portrayed as a joyous and fulfilling experience, yet for many women, the period following childbirth can be marked by overwhelming emotions and challenges. 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