Over 200 maternal deaths per 100,000 births in Morocco

At least 228 maternal deaths occur in Morocco per 100,000 births, according to figures issued Sunday at the end of the second meeting of the governing council of the international Planned Parenthood Federation "IPPF" in Rabat.

In urban areas, an estimated 125 deaths per 100,000 occur while 307 out of 100,000 die while giving birth in rural areas.

According to a national health survey conducted in 1997, seven women die in Morocco each day during pregnancy or delivery. This death rate is twice or three times higher than in some Arab states and 25 times higher than in Europe.

For each woman who dies during pregnancy or delivery, between 10 to 15 are disabled due to complications, like hemorrhage, hypertension and infections, which are also to blame for half the neonatal mortality rate.

Meanwhile, the average fertility rate dropped from 7.2 children in 1962 to 2.75 in 2000 while the contraceptive prevalence rate rose from 19.4 % in 1980 to 58.8 % in 1997.

More than 580,000 women die each year during pregnancy or delivery worldwide. Of these, 99 percent occur in developing countries.

IPPF executive director, Ingar Bruegmann, said the federation is targeting to reduce by 50% in 2010 the number of women who die during pregnancy or delivery.

The IPPF governing board met in Rabat this May 12-14, with representatives of over 40 countries attending.

The London-based Federation is a non-governmental organization mustering 180 associations from Africa, Arab countries, Europe, Oceania, America and Asia.