Lessons on Safe motherhood

Abstract

An outline is given of progress made in understanding the causes of maternal mortality since the Safe Motherhood Initiative was launched a decade ago. It remains vital to analyze. why women are dying from pregnancy-related conditions and to identify the weak links in the chain of care.

Until the first global estimates of maternal mortality were made by WHO in 1987 the world was largely ignorant of the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth in developing countries. It was shown that half a million women died each year following pregnancy-related complications, and this led to a multi-agency effort, the Safe
Motherhood Initiative, whose purpose was to devise strategies for tackling problem in diverse settings.