THE majority of maternal and newborn deaths that occur in Zimbabwe can be prevented with affordable interventions, a new report by three United Nations agencies and government has revealed.

According to the report titled Maternal and Perinatal Mortality Study released at the end of last month at least 73% of maternal deaths recorded in 2007 during the time of the study, were avoidable.

The report which was compiled by the Ministry of Health and Child in partnership with the UN Children's Fund, UN Population Fund, World Health Organisation, University of Zimbabwe and Umea, a Swedish university drew its conclusions from a study done throughout 2007 in 11 of 61 districts in the country.

It established that the maternal mortality ratio was around 725 per 100 000 live births.

This means that for every 100 000 women who give birth about 725 die due to complications at child birth.

The leading cause of maternal deaths is HIV and AIDS accounting for at least 25.5% of all deaths.

This was attributed to the high prevalence of HIV infections, low percentage of women whose status is known during pregnancy and the lack of access by women to anti-retroviral drugs.

In a speech read on his behalf by National Reproductive Officer Hillary Chiguvare at the presentation of the report last week, the United Nations Population Fund (NFPA) country representative Bruce Campbell raised concern that HIV/AIDS continued to be the leading cause of maternal deaths.

"We note with concern that HIV/AIDS has become the leading cause of maternal mortality yet the national response to HIV/AIDS within maternal health programs seems to be very weak," Campbell said.

"Though 91% of the women booked for antenatal care only 4.7 percent of the women knew their HIV status before pregnancy, and the coverage for antenatal ARVs was a paltry 1.8%."

Postpartum haemorrhage (excessive bleeding after delivery) was the second highest cause of maternal deaths at 14.4% followed by hypertension at 13%.

Other causes such as puerperal sepsis or infection accounted for 7.8% of the deaths while abortion complications account for at least 5.85% of the deaths.

The report says the majority of deaths occurred at home where women cannot get expert care when complications occur.

Some of the reasons cited as the cause of the high maternal deaths include the lack of money for treatment and to hire transport to health facilities when pregnancy complications occur.

The other reasons are the long distances pregnant women travel to health centres and lack of drugs when they arrive at a health centre.

"The sad thing is that interventions exist to treat complications, and deaths from them are avoidable," says the report.

"Successful prevention and treatment of these complications represents the potential to reduce maternal deaths by 46%.

"None of the interventions are complex or beyond the capacity of a functional health system in Zimbabwe.

"More women need to reach the health facilities before onset of labour. when they do so; they need to receive effective treatment."

The reluctance by some religious sects such as the Apostolic mission to utilise health institutions was also cited as another major challenge.

"This poses a big problem because 29% of pregnant women belong to this sect," noted the report.

"Even after the problems of the health system have been addressed a huge percentage of women may still not have access because of their religion.

"The major challenge will be to develop a sensitive approach to the sect, which respects their right to religious freedom but also asserts women's right to health."

The report recommended the setting up of maternity waiting homes, which can be set aside for use as temporary shelter by expecting women who stay far away from health centres.

According to the UNFPA, maternal and perinatal mortality constitute a significant burden of disease in Zimbabwe.

"The estimates of maternal and perinatal mortality ratios must be precisely known in order to monitor progress in safe motherhood and newborn life."

Zimbabwe is a signatory to the Millennium Declaration, which created goals (MDGs) that require countries to reduce the maternal deaths by 75% in 2015.