Global progress in addressing stagnation of maternal and newborn deaths since 2015: UN

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Global progress in reducing deaths of pregnant women, mothers and babies has stalled for eight years due to declining investments 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 few weeks after birth, which is equivalent to 1 death every 7 seconds, mostly from preventable or treatable causes if adequate care is provided.

“Pregnant women and newborns continue to die at unacceptably high rates around the world, and the COVID-19 pandemic has created further setbacks in getting them the health care they need,” said Dr. Anshu Banerjee, Director of Maternal Health. , Neonatal, Child and Adolescent and Aging in the World Health Organization (WHO). “If we want to see different results, we have to do things differently. More and smarter investments in primary health care are now needed so that all women and babies, no matter where they live, have the best chance for health and survival.”

The report, Improve maternal and newborn health and survival and reduce stillbirths, assesses the most recent data on these deaths, which have similar risk factors and causes, and tracks the delivery of critical health services. Overall, the report shows that progress in improving survival has stalled since 2015, with around 290,000 maternal deaths each year, 1.9 million stillbirths (infants dying after 28 weeks of pregnancy) and a staggering 2.3 million newborn deaths, which are deaths in the first month of life.

The COVID-19 pandemic, rising poverty and worsening humanitarian crises have intensified pressures on overstretched health systems. Since 2018, more than three-quarters of all sub-Saharan African and conflict-affected countries report a decline in funding for maternal and newborn health. Only 1 in 10 countries (out of more than 100 respondents) report having sufficient funds to implement their current plans. Furthermore, according to the latest WHO survey Looking at the impacts of the pandemic on essential health services, around a quarter of countries still report ongoing interruptions in pregnancy and vital postnatal care and services for sick children.

“As is so often the case, vulnerability, fear and loss are not evenly distributed around the world,” said Steven Lauwerier, UNICEF Director of Health (ai). “Since the COVID-19 pandemic, babies, children and women already exposed to threats to their well-being, especially those living in fragile countries and emergencies, face the most serious consequences of declining spending and efforts to provide quality and accessible healthcare. .”

Funding shortfalls and underinvestment in primary health care can devastate prospects for survival. For example, while prematurity is now the leading cause of all under-five deaths worldwide, less than a third of countries report having enough neonatal care units to treat small and sick babies. . Meanwhile, around two-thirds of emergency delivery facilities in sub-Saharan Africa are not considered fully functional, meaning they lack essential resources such as medicines and supplies, water, electricity or staff for round-the-clock care.

In the hardest-hit countries of sub-Saharan Africa and Central and Southern Asia, the regions with the highest burden of maternal and neonatal deaths, fewer than 60% of women receive even four, out of The eight recommended by the WHOprenatal controls.

“The death of any woman or 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 expand 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 over the years. last years. We must take a transformative human rights and gender approach to addressing maternal and newborn mortality, and it is vital that we remove 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 delivery, the agencies say, as well as access to family planning services. More skilled and motivated health workers are needed, especially midwives, along with essential medicines and supplies, clean water and reliable electricity. The report emphasizes that interventions should especially target the poorest women and those in vulnerable situations who are most likely to miss out on vital care, including through critical subnational planning and investments.

Further improving maternal and newborn health requires addressing harmful gender norms, biases, and inequities. Recent data shows that only around 60% of women aged 15-49 make their own decisions regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights.

The new The report was presented 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 investments in primary health care, as well as innovation and bolder partnerships in programs that help countries improve survival.

Based on current trends, more than 60 countries are not ready to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 to reduce maternal, newborn and stillbirth mortality.

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Notes to editors:

The joint report Improve maternal and newborn health and survival and reduce stillbirths, outlines progress at the midpoint toward 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. The goals, among others, include: (1) 90% of pregnant women receiving at least four antenatal care contacts, (2) skilled health personnel attending 90% of deliveries, (3) 80% of new mothers and babies receiving postnatal care within two days of birth and (4) 80% of districts in all countries having access to emergency obstetric services and care of small and sick newborns.