Deaths in childbirth plunge

The number of mothers who died in labour has nearly halved over the past four years, down from 182 fatalities in 2011 to 100 this year, the ministry’s research commission into maternal mortality revealed yesterday.

The dramatically reduced death rate was largely due to improvements in the circumstance in which women were giving birth, particularly the fact that more deliveries are being carried out by trained midwives, according to the chief of the research commission, Tan Voch Chheng.

“We are seeing a rise in the number of pregnant women who use skilled birth attendants rather than traditional birth attendants,” she said. “And most of them are choosing a health facility for giving birth, not home.”

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