By Bunmi Yekini
A major new United Nations (UN) report has revealed that while maternal deaths have dropped significantly over the past two decades, progress is now under serious threat due to global aid cuts.
The report, Trends in Maternal Mortality, launched today to mark World Health Day, shows a 40% global decline in maternal deaths between 2000 and 2023—thanks largely to improved access to essential health services. However, it also shows a disturbing slowdown in progress since 2016, with an estimated 260,000 women dying in 2023 due to complications from pregnancy or childbirth. That amounts to one maternal death every two minutes.
“While this report shows glimmers of hope, the data also highlights how dangerous pregnancy still is in much of the world today,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). “Solutions exist to prevent and treat the complications that cause the vast majority of maternal deaths.”
The UN attributes the recent slowdown to funding cuts that are severely impacting maternal, newborn, and child health services across the globe. Health facility closures, disrupted supply chains, and a shortage of health workers are some of the key consequences affecting care for expectant mothers.
“Global funding cuts to health services are putting more pregnant women at risk, especially in the most fragile settings,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “The world must urgently invest in midwives, nurses, and community health workers to ensure every mother and baby has a chance to survive and thrive.”
The report also paints a stark picture of maternal mortality in conflict-affected countries. Nearly two-thirds of all maternal deaths now occur in fragile or war-torn nations, with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for approximately 70% of the global burden. Countries like Chad, Nigeria, Somalia, and Afghanistan are among the most dangerous places for pregnant women.
“A 15-year-old girl in a fragile country faces a 1 in 51 lifetime risk of dying from a maternal cause,” the report notes, “compared to 1 in 593 in more stable countries.”
UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem emphasized that maternal healthcare is a fundamental right. “Access to quality maternal health services is a right, not a privilege,” she said. “We all share the urgent responsibility to build well-resourced health systems that safeguard the life of every pregnant woman and newborn.”
To meet the Sustainable Development Goal for maternal survival by 2030, the report warns that the world must drastically accelerate progress. Current efforts would need to increase tenfold—cutting maternal deaths by around 15% each year—to stay on track.
The UN is urging global leaders to ramp up investments in maternal health and address root causes including gender inequality, education, and access to family planning.
“Without urgent action,” the report concludes, “millions more women and their babies will be needlessly lost in the years ahead.”