The Issue
Invest in Women - it pays!
Too many women and newborns are dying worldwide during pregnancy and childbirth.
- Every year, approximately 287,000 girls and women die from pregnancy-related causes.
- Ten countries have 60 percent of the global maternal deaths: India (56,000), Nigeria (40,000), Democratic Republic of the Congo (15,000), Pakistan (12,000), Sudan (10,000), Indonesia (9,600), Ethiopia (9,000), United Republic of Tanzania (8,500), Bangladesh (7,200) and Afghanistan (6,400).
- Ten million women are lost in every generation.
- 3.1 million newborn babies die every year, also from causes that are mainly preventable and typically linked to the mother's health.
- Huge disparities exist between rich and poor countries, and between the rich and poor in all countries.
- One in 32 Afghan women will die from complications of pregnancy and childbirth, and one in 23 in Niger.
- One in 2,400 women will die of these causes in the United States, and one in 14,100 in Sweden.
Source: Trends in maternal mortality: 1990 to 2010, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and The World Bank, 2012
The reason? Lack of political will and inadequate financial investment. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We know what to do to save these lives.
- Why Women Die? Learn about the five causes that account for ¾ of maternal deaths.
- How to Prevent These Deaths? Learn about the three core strategies for improving maternal and newborn health.
- What Does it Cost? Learn about the global price tag to save women.
