Topic: 2025 – Maternal Mortality
Country: Bolivia
Delegate Name: Madelyn Tolsma
Despite a global trend in decreasing mortality rates pre-term birth and pregnancy complications remain an issue across the globe. According to the World Health Organization over 260,000 women die due to these complications in 2023. Every day the same year about 700 women lost their lives because of preventable issues related to childbirth: just over 98% of all maternal mortality’s. This makes sense considering the leading causes for maternal mortality as of the same year are severe bleeding, infections, high blood pressure, complications in delivery or an unsafe abortion. These issues disproportionately affect those in lower- and middle-income countries which account for around 90% of these issues globally. Professionals being present in the pregnancy and childbirth process can significantly reduce the number of lives lost because of it but providing everyone access to it remains a challenges
Also, according to the world health organization, Bolivia mortality rate is around 146 for every 100,000 live births as of 2023, a 10 percent decrease since 2019. Although it is lower than the 2023 average of 197 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, it’s still concerningly high and remains the 3rd highest in maternal mortality rates across the Caribbean and Latin America, after Haiti and Guyana. Hemorrhaging, hypertension and complications from unsafe abortion are among the leading direct causes of maternal death in Bolivia according to the National Post Census Maternal Mortality Study Maternal deaths in Bolivia are concentrated among poor, rural indigenous women, who are among the most vulnerable. Critics say Bolivia’s public health centers and hospitals in rural areas often lack beds, doctors and medicines. Many indigenous women mistrust local hospitals, and prefer to utilize midwives for assistance. Unfortunately, about 42% of maternal mortality are home births and are often a result of untrained assistance, the main push for progress has been the training of midwives so they can advance their skills in medical practice, through the recognition and implementation of indigenous medical practice Bolivia has seen a lowered maternal mortality rate and a growing number of people qualified to assist in childbirth, which is incredibly needed within the country.
Bolivia recognizes the need for funding towards research and programs that will ensure greater survival rates amongst women in childbirth as well as the need to push against the racist and sexist barriers preventing change.
Works Cited:
National Post Census Maternal Mortality Study, 2011 ENMM 2011 UNICO OFICIAL RESUMEN EJECUTIVO (1).pdf – Google Drive
World Health Organization Data Bolivia Fact Sheet, 2023, https//data.who.int/countries/068
World Health Organization Data Maternal Mortality Fact Sheet, 2023 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality
Medical Press, 2017, https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-08-bolivia-midwives-maternal-mortality.html
