The current situation in the Region
with regard to reproductive health is given in the paragraphs that follows:
Maternal and child health
The maternal mortality rate (MMR) in
the Region is the highest in the world. It averages out at 870 to 1,500 deaths per 100 000 lives births with disparities among
countries, and between urban and rural areas. In some countries the rate is as
high as 2000 deaths per 100000 live births. The total fertility rate in the
region is on the average 5-6 births per woman. Unwanted pregnancies, particularly
among adolescents, often result in unsafe abortions which account for
10-10% of maternal deaths.
Morbidity Pattern
Morbidity associated with pregnancy
occurs in more than 20% of cases require referral to higher levels of care. For
instance, anaemia during
pregnancy occurs in more than 60% of
cases in most countries. To a large extent there is inadequacy of services for
the prevention and repair of genital fistula and for psychosocial
rehabilitation of the affected women.
Little progress has been made in the
reduction of perinatal and neonatal mortality rates which stand at 35 to 111
per 1000 births and 40 to 56 per 1000 live births respectively. The major
causes are poor maternal health, poor management of pregnancy and childbirth as
well as poor care of the newborn within the first critical hours after birth. Perinatal and neonatal mortality is
a major contributor to the high infant mortality rates in the. Region
which, in turn, influence the desire for high fertility.
The gains made in child health over the last
decade have been adversely affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It is
important therefore to provide sex education at an early age in order to
produce sexually responsible adolescents and adults.