Maternal health - World Health Organization (WHO)
Maternal health. Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period. Each stage should be a positive experience, ensuring women and their babies reach their full potential for health and well-being. Although important progress has been made in the last two decades, about 287 000 women died during ...

Maternal Health Unit - World Health Organization (WHO)
The Maternal Health Unit (MAH) provides leadership for improving maternal and perinatal health and well-being and ending preventable maternal mortality. MAH generates programmatic-focused evidence, develops guidelines, norms and standards, and supports regions and countries in adaptation, implementation and monitoring of person-centered quality ...

Maternal mortality - World Health Organization (WHO)
Maternal mortality is unacceptably high. About 287 000 women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth in 2020. Almost 95% of all maternal deaths occurred in low and lower middle-income countries in 2020, and most could have been prevented. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) regions and sub-regions are used here.

Maternal and newborn health - World Health Organization (WHO)
Monitoring maternal and newborn health during the postpartum period is critical. The risk of death is highest for newborn babies: 75% of all neonatal deaths occur during the first week of life. Timely detection and management of symptoms have been shown to reduce mortality and complications. Breastfeeding is optimal for both maternal and child ...

Maternal and newborn health - World Health Organization (WHO)
Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. Newborn health refers to the babies' first month of life. A healthy start in life has significant repercussions for a person's health and well-being during infancy, childhood, and adulthood. Therefore, strong efforts are required from all ...

Maternal and reproductive health - World Health Organization (WHO)
Maternal health and newborn health are closely linked. It is particularly important that all births are attended by skilled health professionals, as timely management and treatment can make the difference between life and death for the mother as well as for the newborn. Severe bleeding after birth also called postpartum haemorrhage is the most ...

Maternal mortality - World Health Organization (WHO)
Almost 95% of all maternal deaths occurred in low and lower middle-income countries in 2020. Although in many parts of the world maternal mortality is still unacceptably high, in the WHO European Region the maternal mortality rate (MMR) declined by more than 50% between 2000 and 2020. The progress in combating maternal mortality has slowed down ...

Trends in maternal mortality 2000 to 2020: estimates by WHO, UNICEF ...
The estimates represent the most up to date, internationally-comparable MMEIG estimates of maternal mortality, using refined input data and methods from previous rounds. The report presents internationally comparable global, regional and country-level estimates and trends for maternal mortality between 2000 and 2020.