Maternal deaths decline in Jordan

The fifth national report on maternal mortality in Jordan indicates a decline in maternal deaths from 29.8 per 100,000 live births in 2021 to 28 per 100,000 live births in 2022, excluding deaths due to COVID-19.

The report, issued by the Ministry of Health and prepared by the National Committee for Maternal Mortality and the Department of Maternal and Newborn Deaths within the Non-Communicable Diseases Directorate, was developed in collaboration with the USAID-funded Health Services Quality Improvement Project.

According to the report, when accounting for COVID-19-related deaths, the numbers significantly decreased from 85 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021 to 33 in 2022.

The report reflects progress in responding to maternal mortality, offering hope for controlling preventable causes in the coming years.

It noted that over half of the deaths were due to direct pregnancy-related causes, with acute pulmonary embolism identified as the leading cause, followed by COVID-19-related deaths, and postpartum hemorrhage at 13.4 percent.

The report also highlighted that delays in seeking medical intervention by pregnant women contributed to 17.5 percent of the deaths.

The Ministry of Health emphasized the importance of early medical consultation, particularly for high-risk pregnant women, advising them to visit the nearest healthcare facility promptly to avoid delays in receiving appropriate care.

Furthermore, the ministry underscored the significance of these efforts in obtaining accurate maternal mortality indicators to improve the quality of healthcare services provided to the Jordanian community.