Maternal Health in Sub-Saharan Africa
Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, and this definition conforms to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal three (SDG 3). However, achieving this SGD remains a mirage in sub-Saharan Africa, as the region continues to possess the highest rates of maternal mortality across the globe. Large intraregional disparities in terms of coverage of basic maternal health still exist across the region, and the causes of these preventable deaths must be analyzed frequently to guide interventions if progress is to be made. The health status of pregnant women remains an important indicator of the general state of health of any given population and also influences the health of their babies. Hence, fetal and infant health is one of the main determinants of health in childhood and adulthood. Maternal health still faces multilayered challenges like inadequate infrastructure, low education, and financial constraints, yet also holds significant prospects for improvement through targeted interventions and policy changes. This chapter explores maternal health, contextualizing and localizing the sub-Saharan African perspectives, taking into consideration the region’s challenges and prospects for improving and mitigation strategies toward maternal health in sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on the impact of maternal health on both women and their children, and the need for a more holistic approach to improve services and address underlying social determinants.
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