Figure 4. Causes of maternal, newborn, and child deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.

More than half of maternal deaths in Africa are due to direct obstetric complications, with hemorrhage being the leading cause. Maternal sepsis and hypertensive disorders are important and preventable causes of maternal mortality. Newborn deaths account for more than one quarter of under-5 deaths in Africa. Infections are the biggest cause of newborn death yet the most feasible causes to prevent and treat. The two other major causes of newborn deaths are preterm birth complications and intrapartum-related (previously called “birth asphyxia”), which are closely linked to maternal health. Main causes of under-5 deaths include pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria. Globally more than one-third of postneonatal child deaths are attributable to undernutrition. The cause-of-death profile varies between and within countries, with HIV/AIDS contributing to more deaths in southern African countries. Figure adapted from Kinney et al. 2009 [9] using data sources for maternal (Khan et al. 2006 [28]) and newborn and child (Black et al. 2010 [34]) causes of death.