Global progress on maternal and newborn deaths stalled since 2015: UN

Global progress in reducing maternal, infant and child mortality has stalled for eight years due to reduced investment in maternal and newborn health, according to a new United Nations (UN) report. The report shows that more than 4.5 million women and babies die each year during pregnancy, childbirth or the first weeks after birth – the equivalent of 1 death every 7 seconds – mostly from causes that can be prevented or cured if appropriate care is available.

“Pregnant women and newborns continue to die at unacceptably high rates around the world, and the COVID-19 pandemic has created additional barriers to providing them with the health care they need,” said Dr. Anshu Banerjee, director of maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health. Aging in the World Health Organization (WHO). “If we want to see different results, we have to do things differently. Bigger and smarter investments in primary health care are needed now so that every woman and baby – no matter where they live – has the best chance of health and survival.”

Report, Improving the health and survival of mothers and newborns and reducing stillbirths, assesses the latest data on these deaths – which have similar risk factors and causes – and monitors the delivery of critical health services. Overall, the report shows that progress in improving survival has stagnated since 2015, with around 290,000 maternal deaths each year, 1.9 million stillbirths – babies who die after 28 weeks of pregnancy – and a staggering 2.3 million neonatal deaths, which are in the first month of life.

The COVID-19 pandemic, growing poverty and a worsening humanitarian crisis have increased the pressure on overburdened health systems. As of 2018, more than three-quarters of all conflict-affected and sub-Saharan African countries report reductions in funding for maternal and newborn health. Only 1 in 10 countries (out of more than 100 surveyed) say they have enough resources to implement their current plans. Moreover, according to the latest WHO research on the pandemic’s impact on essential health services, about a quarter of countries still report ongoing disruptions in vital pregnancy and postnatal care and services for sick children.

“As is all too often the case, vulnerability, fear and loss are not equally spread around the world,” said Steven Lauwerier, UNICEF Health Director (ai). “Since the COVID-19 pandemic, babies, children and women who have already been exposed to threats to their well-being, especially those living in vulnerable countries and emergency situations, are facing the most severe consequences of reduced spending and efforts to provide quality and affordable health care. .”

Lack of funding and underinvestment in primary health care can destroy prospects for survival. For example, while prematurity is now the leading cause of death for children under the age of five globally, less than a third of countries report having enough neonatal care units to treat a small and sick baby. Meanwhile, around two-thirds of emergency maternity centers in sub-Saharan Africa are not considered fully functional – meaning they lack essential resources such as medicines and supplies, water, electricity or staff for 24-hour care.

In the worst-affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Central and South Asia – the regions with the highest burden of infant and maternal deaths – less than 60% of women receive even four, WHO recommends eightantenatal examinations.

“The death of any woman or young girl during pregnancy or childbirth is a serious violation of their human rights,” said Dr. Julitta Onabanjo, Director of the Technical Division of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). “It also reflects the urgent need to increase access to quality sexual and reproductive health services as part of universal health coverage and primary health care, especially in communities where maternal mortality rates have stagnated or even increased in recent years. We need to take a transformative human rights and gender approach to address with maternal and newborn mortality, and it is crucial to eradicate the underlying factors that lead to poor maternal health outcomes such as socioeconomic inequalities, discrimination, poverty and injustice”.

To increase survival rates, women and babies must have quality, affordable health care before, during and after birth, the agencies say, as well as access to family planning services. More qualified and motivated health workers, especially midwives, are needed, along with basic medicines and necessities, safe water and reliable electricity. The report emphasizes that interventions should specifically target the poorest women and those in vulnerable situations who are most likely to miss out on life-saving assistance – including critical subnational planning and investment.

Improving the health of mothers and newborns additionally requires addressing harmful gender norms, prejudices and inequalities. The latest data show that only about 60% of women between the ages of 15 and 49 make independent decisions about sexual and reproductive health and rights.

New the report was released at a major global conference held in Cape Town, South Africa. The conference aims to accelerate recovery and progress in maternal and newborn health, promoting targeted investment in primary health care, as well as innovation and bolder partnerships among programs that help countries improve survival.

Based on current trends, more than 60 countries are not expected to meet the targets for reducing maternal, newborn and stillbirth mortality in the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

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Notes for editors:

Joint report, Improving the health and survival of mothers and newborns and reducing stillbirths, outlines progress on a focal point for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and highlights priority actions to eliminate preventable maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths.

The report tracks progress against two key global strategies: Every Newborn: An Action Plan to End Preventable Deaths and Sstrategies to end preventable maternal mortality. Goals include, among others: (1) 90% of pregnant women having at least four prenatal care contacts, (2) qualified health personnel attending 90% of births, (3) 80% of new mothers and babies receiving postnatal care within two days from birth and (4) 80% of districts across the countries have access to emergency obstetric services and care for small and sick newborns.