LESSON PLANS - ITVS

HALF THE SKY: MATERNAL MORTALITYStudent Handout B v1:The Health Divide Question & Answer Cards (page 1)Teacher Instructions: Make two copies of question and answer card document. Cut out and distributethe “Country” and “Fact” cards from one copy and use the second copy as reference.AFGHANISTANHas the second highest maternal death rate in the world. Less than 15 percent of deliveriesare attended by trained health workers, and many women bleed to death beforethey can receive permission from their husband or mother-in-law to get medical help.UNITED STATESDeaths from pregnancy and childbirth have doubled in the past 20 years despite thefact that this superpower spends the most money on healthcare. Approximately 1woman in every 4,100 dies in childbirth.NIGERIAWomen have a 1 in 18 chance of dying in childbirth. Maternal health continues to declinewhile the rest of the world improves, despite being one of Africa’s biggest oil exporters.CANADAMaternal mortality rates have declined from approximately 1 maternal death per 200 livebirths in the early 1920s to less than 1 per 12,820 in 2010. Among the lowest maternalmortality rates in the world and three times lower than its neighbor the U.S.FRANCEWomen have a 1 in 16,667 chance of dying in childbirth. Mothers enjoy a range ofmaternity benefits, ranging from generous paid time off to extended time in the hospital.CHINAIn 1980, 1 woman would die for approximately every 580 women who gave birth, but by2008, that rate had dropped to 1 in approximately every 2,170. This improvement hasnot kept pace with the rapid economic expansion in this large Asian country.INDIAThis is the world’s largest democracy, but in this highly populated country, women have a1 in 185 chance of dying in childbirth — one of the worst rates in the world.ITALYIn 2010, the country was rated the safest place to have a baby, with just five maternaldeaths per 100,000 births (1 in 20,000). Maternal healthcare is free and families do nothave to pay for prenatal visits for the hospital birth. Moms also benefit from 22 weeks ofpaid leave from work.DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICOF CONGOEvery hour, four women die of complications due to pregnancy and labor, and for everywoman who dies, 20 to 30 have serious complications in this conflict-ridden Africancountry. The maternal mortality rate is 1 in 90.