The number of mothers dying in Belgium during pregnancy or post-delivery is on the rise, according to data released Wednesday by the federal statistics office, Statbel.
This increase is partly due to an expert group’s adherence to World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines since 2018, which define maternal deaths more broadly, including suicides.
Data compiled by Statbel, Belgium’s maternal mortality analysis unit BAMM, and health institute Sciensano covers 2018 to 2022. The maternal mortality ratio for the five-year period centred on 2020 is 8.8 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared to 3.69 deaths in 2014.
Maternal deaths can occur any time from fertilisation until one year post-delivery. The mortality ratio measures direct and indirect maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in a year. Late deaths are excluded from this calculation.
The leading causes were obstetric embolism, labour and delivery complications, and postpartum complications. In almost one in five deaths, self-inflicted injury was the main cause.
