Lack of proper medical facilities is another major factor which leads to the death of many women. High fertility rates put women at repeated risk of death related to childbearing. You can see on the map below that women in Africa and South Asia are at a greater risk of maternal death. Maternal mortality rates can be greatly reduced if maternal care is received throughout the pregancy, during childbirth, and after the baby is delivered. However, this care is not available in many parts of the world.
Family planning is another important aid in reduction of maternal mortality rates.
Mortality rates for both the infant and mother are increased for teenage pregnancies and pregancies of women over forty. Higher fertility rates lead to increased risk of both mortality and infant mortality rates. Typically, the higher the fertility rate, the higher the maternal mortality rate. Education is another important factor in reducing the maternal mortality rate.