According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), maternal health outcomes have significantly improved worldwide, with a 40 per cent reduction in maternal deaths since 2000.
UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Natalia Kanem, made the disclosure in a statement issued on Monday to mark the 2025 World Health Day, observed annually on April 7.
World Health Day is a global event supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other stakeholders to promote public health awareness.
The theme for this year’s campaign on maternal and newborn health is “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures.” It urges governments and health sectors to intensify actions aimed at ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths, while focusing on women’s long-term health and well-being.
Kanem noted a significant milestone: for the first time, no country is now estimated to have an ‘extremely high’ maternal mortality rate exceeding 1,000 deaths per 100,000 live births.
“Women’s health during pregnancy and childbirth has improved globally due to medical progress and greater access to quality maternal care,” she stated.
She added that more women now have control over their reproductive choices, which has contributed to better outcomes.
However, Kanem warned that the global progress conceals persistent disparities. In regions where healthcare systems are fragile or conflict persists, maternal mortality rates either stagnate or rise.
“In countries affected by conflict, women are at least twice as likely to die from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications compared to the global average,” she said.
While more births now occur in health facilities, Kanem emphasized that inconsistent quality of care remains a major challenge, with poor healthcare contributing to half of all maternal deaths.
Shortages of essential medicines, skilled health personnel, and proper equipment continue to undermine health systems, she said, adding that discrimination based on income, geography, or ethnicity also prevents many women from accessing the care they need.
Even in wealthier nations, marginalised populations experience higher maternal mortality rates, she pointed out.
“We have the tools and knowledge to prevent these deaths. Midwives play a vital role in saving lives. With expanded access to midwifery care, we can detect risks, manage complications, and reduce healthcare costs,” Kanem noted.
Despite this, she said there is still a global shortage of nearly one million midwives, limiting access to life-saving care.
She called for stronger political will, better funding, and legal frameworks that support maternal health.
“As we commemorate World Health Day, let us focus on the investments needed to eliminate preventable maternal deaths. Let us strive to build fairer and healthier societies where every woman has the chance to survive childbirth and live a full life,” she concluded.
(NAN)