Maternal Healthcare in Rural Malawi

Introduction
In this paper, I would highlight the barriers and solution for the maternal mortality conditions in Malawi. Prior to the year 1990, maternal mortality was prevalent and thus became the issue to be included and solve as fifth Millennium Development Goal (MDG). The addition of maternal mortality into the goals of solving international issues proves its significance towards building a better society.
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes maternal mortality as,
The death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes. To facilitate the identification of maternal deaths in circumstances in which cause of death attribution is inadequate, a new category has been introduced: Pregnancy-related death is defined as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the cause of death (World Health Organization 2013)
Maternal mortality is an influential indicator of inequity in society. Among the indicators used to equate the levels of development between countries and regions, levels of maternal mortality show the widest disparities (World Health Organization, UNICEF 1996).
Overview
Malawi, previously known as Nyasaland, became a free nation from the rule of British, in 1967. The country is located in the southeast region of African continent with Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast and Mozambique on east, south and west.
Malawi has an estimated population of 16.5 millions in 2013. Malawi holds diversity across the communities it serves. It has nearly ten ...

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