Woman passed away after giving birth on Mother's Day

A mother died after giving birth on Mother's Day, health minister Jo Etienne Abela said in Parliament on Monday.

Abela said that the mother's cause of death is yet to be established after an autopsy. He was speaking during the opening of the debate on the Embryo Protection Authority's financial estimates. 

The health minister gave his condolences to the family of the mother, as he explained that pregnancy does not come without risk, no matter the quality of the health services available. 

Abela noted that the newborn child is in good health.

Speaking about the Embryo Protection Authority's responsibility in ensuring good governance in the use of IVF, the minister mentioned the procedure's 32% success rate, as he noted that there are 612 preserved embryos.

Six pairs of twins were among the 64 newborns that he stated had been born in the last year, while there are thirty-four couples waiting on their baby.