Women who develop maternal sepsis in sub-Saharan Africa are almost 150 times more likely to die than mothers in Britain, Europe and North America, according to new research – with a lack of clean water and sanitation contributing to 36 deaths a day.
The analysis by WaterAid finds that the infection – one of the most dangerous complications of pregnancy and childbirth – is vastly more lethal in parts of Africa where maternity wards frequently lack clean water, toilets or basic hygiene facilities. These dangers made worse by devastating overseas aid cuts by the US and UK impacting swathes of the continent.
