NEW YORK, NY (Catholic Online) - Nearly all of the deaths, some 90 percent, occur in third-world countries according to the UN. Despite the grim picture, there is some cause for hope. 

A new report jointly published by the World health Organization (WHO), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Bank, and the UN Children's Agency (UNICEF), shows that the situation has improved dramatically over the past 20 years. 

Maternal death rates are high in these parts of the world, particularly because women do not have access to proper medical care. In some cultures, women are not even allowed to see the doctor without permission from their husbands or a male relative. In other places, medical care is simply inaccessible. 

Maternal deaths have been dropping slowly, but steadily from 543,000 in 1990 to 287,000 in 2010. 
Two countries were singled out as being the worst among the world, specifically India and Nigeria. And of the top 40 worst countries, 36 happen to be in sub-Saharan Africa. 

According to the reports, 60 percent of the countries have the highest rates overall.

They include:

India: 56,000Nigeria: 40,000Democratic Republic of Congo: 15,000Pakistan: 12,000Sudan: 10,000Indonesia: 9,600Ethiopia: 9,000Tanzania: 8,500Bangladesh: 7,200Afghanistan: 6,400

Meanwhile, the UN and various affiliated organizations are still working to bring these numbers down yet further. The UN is calling for advances in women's rights including appropriate medal care for women, particularly during childbirth. 

The UN wants to see more training for midwives and emergency access for women. 

On a cautionary note, the study also calls for "family planning" which does not include natural means. It should be noted that such a plan has the dangerous potential to kill children in the womb, and would threaten to reverse the gains of the past 20 years for women's health. It is hoped that UN officials avoid the pitfalls of unnatural family planning while ensuring that every baby is born healthy and happy as mothers remain well. 

© 2012, Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.