During the COVID-19 pandemic, the maternal mortality rate rose threefold in Kazakhstan. However, mortality factors associated with obstetric services account for just 18% of lethal cases, according to the Ministry of Health. The vast majority of these deaths were caused by diseases unrelated to pregnancy.
According to data from the Bureau of National Statistics, the number of women who died while giving birth reached 200 in absolute terms last year. This is the highest rate in a decade. For comparison, the same rate was 55 cases in 2019.
When comparing countries and regions with different population rates, international statistics use...