Maternal Mortality in Haiti

Abstract

The rates of maternal mortality in the country of Haiti are astoundingly higher than any other nation in the western hemisphere. In a country that faces socioeconomic and government instability, there is little protection for those who cannot support themselves financially and with regards to health. A mother plays a key role in the safety and well-being of a child and her lack of presence in the first months of an infant’s life can be detrimental and even fatal to the child. In 2015, maternal mortality rates in Haiti reached 359 deaths per 100,000 live births, a significantly higher rate than the global statistic among developing nations. This number notably exceeded that of Haiti’s neighboring country the Dominican Republic, which in the same year rates were recorded at 92 deaths per 100,000 live births (World Bank Group, 2016). The question is, what is causing such high rates of maternal mortality throughout the country? Contributing factors range from lack of skilled professionals at the bedside to various diseases. It is crucial to identify all of these risk factors and causative agents to the astonishingly high statistics so that measures can be made to prevent such tragedies from occurring.