Nigeria, April 23 -- A new global study is reshaping understanding of the causes of maternal deaths, suggesting that anaemia, rather than excessive bleeding, may be a major underlying driver of mortality among pregnant women.

The findings, drawn from a study dubbed WOMAN-2 by the The Woman Trials, indicate that anaemia could be responsible for up to half of severe cases of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) in sub-Saharan Africa and the South Asia region.

According to the research published on Wednesday and titled 'The missing evidence: anaemia, postpartum, bleeding and maternal health,' the research links the high prevalence of anaemia with increased risk of severe bleeding and death during childbirth.

The WOMAN Trials study is described as...