Delays Recognized in Maternal Mortality

The past 25 years saw a global reduction in maternal deaths by 44%. However, over 800 women continue to die every day as a result of complications from pregnancy and childbirth, and most of these deaths are preventable. Notably, 99% of maternal deaths occur in the developing world (World Health Organization, Maternal mortality Fact Sheet No. 348, 2015). Though South Asia has made progress, it still has the second highest number of maternal deaths of any region. Hence, there is much left to be done, and in 2017 eliminating preventable maternal mortality is still a priority of health and development agendas. This is a crucial time for achieving this goal as it is a period of transition from the Millennium Development Goals, which ended in 2015, to the beginning of the more comprehensive Sustainable Development Goals. It is paramount that those working in health and development do not let progress stall.