Maternal Mortality: An Eco-Social Phenomenon that Calls for Systemic Action - Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia

Conclusion

Maternal mortality is a difficult puzzle to solve. However, progress made in the last few decades is encouraging. In Brazil, the major obstacle is to advance the quest for social justice, particularly from an ethnic and gender perspective, expanding women’s access to education and income, with special emphasis on women of color. In addition, it is essential to make a leap in the quality and effectiveness in public health services. The provision of women-centered, timely, appropriate and respectful quality care guided by the best scientific evidence should be the major goal of all maternity and women’s health services. For this, the state needs to strengthen the public sector health system, and the society needs to exercise its primary role of defense and social control of the public health system.

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