More pregnant women are dying in Congo as they avoid hospitals over Ebola

August 3, 2026 - 12:17

A troubling new trend is emerging in eastern Congo, where some pregnant women are choosing to stay away from hospitals due to fears of the ongoing Ebola outbreak. Health officials say this avoidance is leading to more maternal deaths, as women miss out on critical care during childbirth and the weeks that follow.

The region, already struggling with violence and displacement, is now seeing a secondary crisis. Many expectant mothers, worried about contracting Ebola in crowded medical facilities, are opting for home births or delaying treatment for complications. According to local aid workers, this has resulted in a noticeable spike in deaths from hemorrhage, infection, and obstructed labor - conditions that are easily manageable in a proper clinic.

One doctor working in the area described the situation as a "silent emergency." He noted that while Ebola gets the headlines, the indirect toll on routine healthcare is just as deadly. Pregnant women are not the only ones affected. Vaccinations for children have dropped, and malaria treatments are being skipped. But the maternal death rate is particularly alarming because it was already high before the outbreak.

Health agencies are now trying to reassure communities that hospitals have strict safety protocols, including separate wards for Ebola patients and for maternity care. But trust is hard to rebuild. Many women say they would rather risk a difficult birth at home than step into a facility where they might catch the virus. Until that fear is addressed, the number of preventable deaths among mothers and newborns is likely to keep climbing.