Link between transport and maternal health

Every year more than half a million women die from pregnancy related complications in developing countries. Most maternal deaths are due to five direct causes: haemorrhage, obstructed labour, eclampsia, sepsis, and unsafe abortion. These complications can occur without forewarning and can rapidly become life threatening (Babinard and Roberts, 2006).

Access to appropriate, affordable and timely transport affects women’s ability to receive preventative and emergency obstetric care that is essential for their survival. The World Health Organization estimates that 75 per cent of maternal deaths can be prevented through timely access to child-birth related care (WHO 2001).

Evidence suggests that most of the obstetric emergencies can be managed if comprehensive emergency obstetric care is reached within 12 hours, with the exception of obstetric haemorrhage which requires attention within 2 hours, (see UNFPA). Timely access to care also helps reduce other long term maternal health problems including obstetric fistula caused by obstructed labour (Porter, 2007).

The transport sector therefore plays an important role in achieving the fifth millennium development goal - to reduce maternal mortality by 75 per cent by 2015 - as well as improving maternal health in general. The next section looks in more detail at how a lack of transport can delay access to and use of maternal health services, especially for poor women living in rural areas.