Many young mothers dying from Aids-related complications

Professor Quarraisha Abdool-Karim made the comment while delivering her Inkosi Johnson Memorial Lecture in Durban last night.

She had been speaking at the launch of The Legacy Project: South African Voices an exhibition of HIV memory and learning at the KwaMuhle Museum.

Abdool-Karim says mothers who are dying are aged between 15 and 24 years.

"When young women fall pregnant not only do they have complications related to children having children but we also have a situation were they drop out of school and by dropping out of school they get caught up in vicious cycles of poverty for life," she said.

The KZN Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo says research through the department's antenatal facilities also points to the findings.

"Women who are pregnant and come from poor surroundings do not report to our clinics early and therefore are dying. We have pockets of areas where women are suspecting or they know they are HIV positive, they fall pregnant and they hide," he said.

The 21st International Aids Conference takes place in Durban next week.