| Abstract: | In this report, the authors describe the dramatic situation of maternal health in African countries. According to the most recent estimates, almost 1 million African women die each year (one maternal death per minute) and a significant proportion of these (between 3 and 4 million) have incapacitating genitourinary fistulae. In contrast, in industrialized countries, only 2,500 maternal deaths are registered yearly (0.47% of the total worldwide) with a maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 20 per 100,000 live births. |
