Agency Reports Maternal Deaths Concentrated in Fragile Settings

An international agency reports that approximately 800 women die each day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. The agency states that nearly two in three maternal deaths occur in fragile settings. The agency says its programs operate in more than 150 countries and territories.

It works with governments, health experts, and civil society to train health workers, improve access to essential medicines, and strengthen health systems.

Maternal mortality has declined 34 percent since 2000, yet progress has stalled since 2015. In 2020, an estimated 287,000 women died from pregnancy- or childbirth-related causes, with around 70 percent of those deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. The agency notes that 83 percent of reporting countries have set national targets for reducing maternal and newborn mortality, but only 61 percent have costed plans and 12 percent of those plans are fully funded.

The agency recommends at least eight antenatal care visits to monitor health indicators and prepare for complications. It states that emergency obstetric facilities should be accessible for treating hemorrhage, sepsis, hypertensive disorders, and obstructed labor.

Postnatal care visits are advised within the first 24 hours, on the third day, and at the second and sixth weeks after delivery. The agency says these visits allow assessment of both mother and newborn for complications that can arise after leaving a health facility.

The agency supports maternal death review systems and fistula repair programs. It reports having directly supported more than 40,000 women through fistula repair surgery and states that 71 percent of supported countries now have a national strategy to end fistula. The agency also works to make pregnancy and childbirth safer in humanitarian emergency settings.