Current:Home > FinanceThe number of mothers who die due to pregnancy or childbirth is 'unacceptable'-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
The number of mothers who die due to pregnancy or childbirth is 'unacceptable'
View Date:2024-12-23 16:24:24
There's been virtually no progress in reducing the number of women who die due to pregnancy or childbirth worldwide in recent years. That's the conclusion of a sweeping new report released jointly by the World Health Organization and other United Nations agencies as well as the World Bank.
The report estimates that there were 287,000 maternal deaths globally in 2020 — the most recent year these statistics cover. That's the equivalent of a woman dying every two minutes — or nearly 800 deaths a day.
And it represents only about a 7% reduction since 2016 — when world leaders committed to a so-called "sustainable development goal" of slashing maternal mortality rates by more than a third by 2030.
The impact on women is distributed extremely unequally: Two regions – Australia and New Zealand, and Central and Southern Asia – actually saw significant declines (by 35% and 16% respectively) in their maternal mortality rates. Meanwhile, 70% of maternal deaths are in just one region: sub-Saharan Africa.
Many of these deaths are due to causes like severe bleeding, high blood pressure and pregnancy-related infections that could be prevented with access to basic health care and family planning. Yet the report also finds that worldwide about a third of women don't get even half of the recommended eight prenatal checkups.
At a press conference to unveil the report, world health officials described the findings as "unacceptable" and called for "urgent" investments in family planning and filling a global shortage of an estimated 900,000 midwives.
"No woman should die in childbirth," said Dr. Anshu Banerjee, an assistant director general of WHO. "It's a wake-up call for us to take action."
He said this was all the more so given that the report doesn't capture the likely further setbacks since 2020 resulting from the impacts of the COVID pandemic and current global economic slowdowns.
"That means that it's going to be more difficult for low income countries, particularly, to invest in health," said Banerjee. Yet without substantially more money and focus on building up primary health care to improve a woman's chances of surviving pregnancy, he said, "We are at risk of even further declines."
veryGood! (1)
Related
- 32 things we learned in NFL Week 10: Who will challenge for NFC throne?
- USA men's volleyball rebounds from 'devastating' loss to defeat Italy for bronze medal
- Yung Miami breaks silence on claims against Diddy: 'A really good person to me'
- Adele Confirms Engagement to Rich Paul
- Jack Del Rio leaving Wisconsin’s staff after arrest on charge of operating vehicle while intoxicated
- Sha'Carri Richardson, Gabby Thomas steer U.S. women to gold medal in 4x100 relay
- Starliner astronauts aren't 1st 'stuck' in space: Frank Rubio's delayed return set record
- NYPD officer charged with using chokehold banned after George Floyd’s death
- Police capture Tennessee murder suspect accused of faking his own death on scenic highway
- Thousands of fans flood Vienna streets to sing Taylor Swift hits after canceled concerts
Ranking
- Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia Explains Why She’s Not Removing Tattoo of Ex Zach Bryan’s Lyrics
- Cardi B says she felt 'paralyzed' after 'freak accident' almost caused loss of pregnancy
- Third Teenager Arrested in Connection to Planned Attack at Taylor Swift Concerts, Authorities Say
- Former tennis coach sentenced to 25 years for taking girl across state lines for sex
- Artem Chigvintsev Returns to Dancing With the Stars Ballroom Amid Nikki Garcia Divorce
- Russian man held without bail on charges he procured US electronics for Russian military use
- Starliner astronauts aren't 1st 'stuck' in space: Frank Rubio's delayed return set record
- Federal judges allow Iowa book ban to take effect this school year
Recommendation
-
Full House's John Stamos Shares Message to Costar Dave Coulier Amid Cancer Battle
-
Sha’Carri Richardson rallies US women in Olympic 4x100 while men shut out again
-
Body camera footage shows local police anger at Secret Service after Trump assassination attempt
-
Union Pacific hasn’t yet lived up to deal to give all its engineers predictable schedules
-
2 credit unions in Mississippi and Louisiana are planning to merge
-
Feds say New York man threw explosive device into Verizon van during road rage attack
-
Powerball winning numbers for August 7 drawing: Jackpot at $201 million
-
Meet Hunter Woodhall, husband of 2024 Paris Olympics long jump winner Tara Davis-Woodhall