Why This Issue
Click on the infographic with the latest data on maternal mortality
No woman should die while giving life
In the next two minutes, somewhere in the world a woman will die trying to give life. Today alone, 800 women will die during pregnancy and childbirth, the vast majority of them in developing countries. And the real tragedy is that we have the power to prevent most of these deaths. Many of these deaths occur from excessive bleeding (post-partum hemorrhage) or very high blood pressure (preeclampsia), and tools exist to help stop these conditions from being fatal.
Although maternal mortality has declined substantially over the past two decades, we cannot afford to be complacent. Women are the cornerstone of a healthy and prosperous world. There is clearly much more work to be done.
Imagine a world where no mother dies giving birth and where all women can make informed choices about their health. We can make this vision a reality. Together we have the knowledge, tools, and technology to meet this global health challenge.
