SUPREME

Reducing maternal, neonatal, and infant mortality remains one of the most urgent health challenges in low- and middle-income countries. The United Nations (UN) ranks reducing maternal and infant mortality as the top sustainable development goal in health. Yet in many countries, progress has stalled. Most fatal complications occur during pregnancy, mainly due to four factors: obstetric hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, maternal sepsis, and unsafe abortions.

Key figures

– 260,000 maternal deaths occur each year worldwide due to causes related to pregnancy or childbirth.

– Nearly 70% of maternal deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa, which remains the most affected region in the world.

– 16% of maternal deaths are related to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.

– 35.5% of pregnant women worldwide suffer from anaemia. Anaemia is associated with maternal and perinatal mortality, preterm birth, pre-eclampsia, low birth weight, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), and caesarean section.

– 2.3 million neonatal deaths and 1.9 million stillbirths are recorded each year, of which more than 500,000 are estimated to be attributable to pre-eclampsia, eclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.