The struggle of motherhood begins from the fetal stage until the child reaches adulthood. Many mothers lose their lives while their children are still in the womb or even during childbirth. The success of maternal health programs can be assessed through the key indicator of maternal mortality rate.
Based on data from the Ministry of Health, the number of maternal deaths reached 4,627 in 2020. This figure increased by 10.25% compared to the previous year, which recorded 4,197 deaths. Causes of maternal death last year included hemorrhage (28.29%), hypertension (23%), and circulatory system disorders (4.94%).
West Java recorded the highest number of maternal deaths, reaching 745 in 2020. The number of live births in the province reached 880,250, with 2,891 infant deaths.
The next provinces with the highest number of maternal deaths were East Java with 565 deaths (562,006 live births), followed by Central Java with 530 deaths, Banten with 242 deaths, and North Sumatra with 187 deaths.
Aceh recorded 173 maternal deaths, followed by East Nusa Tenggara with 151, South Sulawesi with 133, South Sumatra with 129, and Lampung with 128.