The maternal mortality ratio in Belgium from 2018 to 2022 stands at 8.8 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to a report published on Wednesday by the Belgian statistical office, Statbel.
This marks an increase compared to the 2013-2017 period, attributed to a change in the definition of maternal death in 2018.
Since 2018, Statbel, through its Working Group on Causes of Death, has adopted a new definition in collaboration with the Belgian Maternal Mortality Analysis System (BAMM) and the Sciensano research institute.
The revised definition is based on the tenth revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and now includes cases such as suicide.
This change accounts for the rise in the rate, which grew from 4.1 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births between 2013 and 2017 to 8.8 in the subsequent five years.
Maternal mortality can occur from the onset of pregnancy up to one year post-delivery.
Of the 14 maternal deaths identified by Statbel in 2022, two women died a long time - between 42 days and one year - after childbirth.
Approximately one-third of these deaths were directly related to pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum period.
Within this category, the most common cause was obstetric embolism, accounting for 27.3% of cases, followed by complications during labour and delivery at 18.2%, and complications occurring during the postpartum period, also at 18.2%.
