Overview of maternal mortality in Eritrea, sub-Saharan Africa

The majority of maternal deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa and reports show that the sub-Saharan region along with Asia contribute 87% of the world's maternal deaths (United Nations (UN), 2010). The risk of dying for a woman in the reproductive age group in sub-Saharan Africa is 1 in 31, compared with 1 in 4300 in the developed countries (Rogo et al, 2006). Equipping the public with the proper information as to why women die and what could have been done to save their lives is feasible even in developing regions (World Health Organization (WHO), 2004). This article intends to provide a brief overview of issues related to maternal mortality, progress made towards mortality reduction, future trends and recommendations for the improvement of maternal health, with a focus to Eritrea, an east African nation.