Explain the societal and cultural factors that may contribute to the high childhood and maternal mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa.

Answer:

Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information: Sub-Saharan Africa remains an underdeveloped portion of the continent. As a result, it lacks certain key resources that would stabilize risk factors for high mortality rates among both children and mothers. Since most of sub-Saharan Africa is an agricultural economy, the more children a family has, the more workers there are who can bring in income. Furthermore, many indigenous tribal cultures do not have family planning methods, such as knowledge of or access to contraceptives. Education and healthcare systems are severely lacking, with most mothers delivering their children unattended by a qualified healthcare professional who could intervene in dire circumstances of maternal or fetal distress. Lastly, childhood diseases that could be prevented or mediated become deadly due to improper nutrition and the lack of access to antibiotics, which stems from depressed economies.