Health

Maternal Deaths Remain Alarmingly High Worldwide, WHO Study Finds

Published

1 year ago

March 8, 2025

RTX

A new global analysis has shed light on the persistent and preventable crisis of maternal mortality, revealing that a pregnant woman or new mother dies every two minutes worldwide. The findings, published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in The Lancet Global Health journal, offer crucial insights into why these deaths occur and how they can be prevented.

According to the WHO, an estimated 287,000 maternal deaths occurred in 2020. These deaths, which happen anytime from pregnancy through six weeks after childbirth, are directly related to pregnancy complications. The vast majority take place in low-income countries, with women in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia facing the highest risks.

Top Causes of Maternal Deaths

The report, the WHO’s first global update in more than a decade, identifies severe bleeding (haemorrhage), preeclampsia, and high blood pressure complications as the most common causes of maternal deaths. If untreated, these conditions can quickly lead to organ failure, stroke, or death.

Other leading causes include sepsis, blood clots, infections, chronic health conditions worsened by pregnancy, and unsafe abortion complications.

Additionally, while maternal mental health remains underreported in many countries, researchers warn that suicide is a major concern for women in their first year after childbirth.

A Reflection of Broader Health Disparities

Experts emphasize that maternal deaths are a warning sign of deeper health, social, and political challenges.

“If women have access to quality care and their social needs are met, they generally don’t die,” said Joyce Browne, a global health expert at University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands.

For instance, the higher risk of haemorrhage in low-income countries reflects persistent inequities in emergency medical care, where a lack of trained staff and resources means some women bleed to death within hours of giving birth.

Meanwhile, in Latin America and the Caribbean, more women die from high blood pressure-related complications, which often develop within the first week after delivery.

Beyond mortality, many women experience severe childbirth complications, known as “near-misses.” A separate study found that one in 20 women in sub-Saharan Africa and one in six in Guatemala suffer life-threatening complications during childbirth.

Solutions to Improve Maternal Health

Dr. Jenny Cresswell, the study’s lead author, stressed that many maternal deaths are preventable with better coordination between obstetrics, emergency care, primary healthcare, and mental health services.

“These interventions are not rocket science,” Cresswell told Euronews Health.

Strengthening healthcare systems in lower-income countries could yield significant improvements, she said. Even incremental progress—such as monitoring a baby’s heartbeat every hour instead of every few minutes in resource-limited areas—can save lives.

However, the study only includes data through 2020, meaning it does not account for how the COVID-19 pandemic further strained healthcare systems. Experts fear that progress has stalled, especially as global health funding cuts, including in maternal and child health programs, add more uncertainty.

Signs of Progress and the Road Ahead

Despite these challenges, there have been notable successes. Since 2000, 69 countries have halved their maternal mortality rates, and sub-Saharan Africa has reduced its rate by 33%.

The key to saving more lives, experts say, is investing in proven solutions and ensuring that every woman, regardless of where she lives, has access to quality maternal care.

“We have good data on why women are dying,” Cresswell said. “The important thing is to invest in solutions to prevent it from happening again.”

Health

North African Dust Set to Worsen Air Quality Across Portugal

Published

21 hours ago

September 4, 2026

Web Reporter

Air quality is expected to deteriorate across much of mainland Portugal over the coming days as dust carried from North Africa moves through the atmosphere, with health authorities warning vulnerable groups to take extra precautions.

Portugal’s Directorate-General of Health (DGS) has issued a warning about the expected decline in air quality, particularly in central and southern parts of the country. The dust is being carried by an air mass originating from the deserts of North Africa and is expected to affect much of mainland Portugal.

The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) has also forecast suspended dust on Friday and Saturday.

The DGS said the phenomenon is expected to increase concentrations of naturally occurring inhalable particles, particularly PM10, in the air. Exposure to elevated levels of these particles can affect health, with children, older people and those with existing medical conditions considered more vulnerable.

Health officials are advising people to avoid prolonged physical exertion and reduce outdoor activity while the dust remains in the atmosphere. Residents have also been urged to avoid exposure to tobacco smoke and other sources of irritation.

Children, elderly people and those suffering from chronic respiratory conditions, particularly asthma, are being advised to remain indoors whenever possible. People with cardiovascular disease are also considered at greater risk. The DGS recommends that vulnerable residents keep windows closed where possible during the episode.

People receiving treatment for chronic illnesses have been advised to continue taking their prescribed medication.

The air-quality warning comes as parts of Portugal also face a heightened risk of rural fires amid continuing hot weather.

Eleven municipalities in the districts of Bragança, Guarda, Castelo Branco and Coimbra are under the highest rural fire alert level on Friday, according to IPMA.

The weather agency has also issued yellow heat warnings for several districts, including Bragança, Viseu, Évora, Guarda, Faro, Vila Real, Setúbal, Santarém, Lisbon, Leiria, Beja, Castelo Branco, Coimbra and Portalegre. The warnings remain in place until 7pm on Saturday.

Temperatures are expected to ease slightly from the peak recorded on Thursday, particularly along coastal areas, but conditions will remain warm. Temperatures are forecast to stay above 20C in many areas, including regions south of the Tagus River.

The combination of suspended dust and high temperatures could create additional challenges for people with respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Authorities are therefore urging vulnerable residents to limit outdoor activity and monitor their health while the dust episode continues.

The DGS has stressed that precautions should remain in place for as long as the poor air-quality conditions persist, particularly for people who are more sensitive to airborne particles.

Health

New Zealand Approves MDMA Treatment for Severe PTSD Under Strict Medical Controls

Published

21 hours ago

September 4, 2026

Web Reporter

New Zealand has authorised two psychiatrists to prescribe pharmaceutical-grade MDMA to patients with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), making it only the second country after Australia to permit the drug for clinical treatment.

Wellington psychiatrist Dr Gary Wynn and Auckland psychiatrist Dr Tom Paterson received approval from New Zealand’s medicines regulator, Medsafe, following a regulatory process that lasted more than a year. The approvals allow MDMA to be used in controlled clinical settings as part of treatment for eligible patients.

Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour welcomed the decision, saying PTSD can have a devastating effect on people and remains difficult to treat. Seymour previously supported approval of psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, for severe depression.

PTSD can develop after people experience or face the threat of traumatic events, including combat, sexual assault and the sudden death of someone close to them. Symptoms can include intrusive memories, anxiety, sleep problems and emotional distress.

Treatment options remain limited in many countries. Two antidepressants are commonly approved for PTSD, but they can take several months to produce an effect and do not work equally well for every patient.

New Zealand’s decision is based partly on results from two international Phase 3 clinical trials conducted by the US-based Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and sponsored by its public benefit corporation, Lykos Therapeutics.

A 2021 trial found that 88% of participants with severe PTSD who received MDMA-assisted therapy experienced clinically significant improvement, while 67% no longer met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD.

A second trial, published in 2023, involved people with moderate-to-severe PTSD. Researchers reported that 71.2% of participants receiving MDMA-assisted therapy no longer met the diagnostic criteria by the end of the study.

The evidence has faced scrutiny in the United States. The US Food and Drug Administration rejected approval of the treatment in 2024, citing concerns about the available evidence for its safety and effectiveness.

US regulators also raised concerns about expectancy bias among participants who had previously used MDMA, which could have affected the reliability of the trial findings.

New Zealand has opted for a tightly controlled approach. The Ministry of Health said MDMA treatment would only be provided alongside psychotherapy in a clinical environment and would not involve take-home doses.

Patients must be at least 18 years old, and treatment must be administered by an authorised psychiatrist as part of a comprehensive care plan.

The approvals mark a significant step for psychedelic-assisted therapy in New Zealand while keeping MDMA use under close medical supervision.

Health

Irregular Sleep Patterns Linked to Higher Anxiety Risk Among Teenagers

Published

2 days ago

September 3, 2026

Web Reporter

Teenagers who regularly change their sleeping patterns between weekdays and weekends may face a greater risk of anxiety, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom.

The findings come as students return to school after the summer break, when many adolescents may have become accustomed to later nights and longer mornings. The shift back to early school schedules can create a mismatch between weekday and weekend sleep patterns, a phenomenon researchers describe as “social jet lag.”

A review of 12 studies involving more than 230,000 participants found that teenagers experiencing greater levels of social jet lag were more likely to report higher levels of anxiety. The relationship also appeared to work in the opposite direction, with higher anxiety associated with greater disruption to sleep schedules.

However, researchers stressed that the findings show an association rather than proving that irregular sleep directly causes anxiety.

The study highlights the importance of encouraging healthy and consistent sleeping habits as part of efforts to support adolescent mental health. Anxiety is already one of the most common mental health problems among young people.

The World Health Organization estimates that anxiety disorders affect about 4.4% of children aged 10 to 14 and 5.5% of those aged 15 to 19 worldwide. Such disorders involve persistent fear or nervousness that can be difficult to control.

Researchers say adolescence is a particularly important period for sleep because biological changes naturally alter young people’s body clocks.

Sarah Chellappa, a co-author of the study from the University of Southampton, said teenagers generally experience a shift toward later sleep during puberty.

“During puberty, the body’s internal clock usually shifts back by a few hours,” she said, meaning teenagers naturally become sleepy later and may need to wake later as well.

Early school starts can conflict with this biological change. Social activities, online communication and other demands can also reduce the amount of sleep teenagers get during the week.

Hannah Ravenhall, lead author of the study, said the issue should not be viewed solely as a matter of individual responsibility.

She said broader social systems can influence young people’s sleep and called for greater recognition of the biological changes that occur during adolescence.

The researchers suggested that schools could consider whether their start times adequately reflect teenagers’ changing sleep needs. Parents could also review evening routines, including rules around screen use.

Rather than simply encouraging teenagers to go to bed earlier, the researchers argue that more consistent schedules and changes to the environments in which young people live and study could help support better sleep and mental wellbeing.