Every day, approximately 800 women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth — that’s one woman every two minutes. For every woman who dies, 20 to 30 more suffer childbirth injuries, infections, or disabilities. Most of these are entirely preventable.

In 2023, an estimated 260,000 maternal deaths occurred worldwide. That’s a 40% reduction since 2000, thanks to global efforts to improve access to essential healthcare. But stark disparities remain.

Sub-Saharan Africa alone accounts for 70% of these deaths, and nearly 17% occur in Central and Southern Asia. Among 37 countries experiencing conflict or social instability, 64% of global maternal deaths take place.

The day a woman gives birth is the day she is most likely to die. This crisis demands attention, and it’s at the heart of UNFPA’s work to make motherhood safer everywhere.

Midwife Maryam Mohamed Isse conducts a check-up on a pregnant woman at a maternal and child health facility located in a camp for internally displaced people in Mogadishu’s Dayniile district.

Your support delivers lifesaving care to women and girls in over 150 countries, including training health workers, providing essential medicines, and strengthening healthcare systems.

Together, we can ensure that all women and girls have access to the care they need.

Will you make a lifesaving donation today to deliver essential healthcare to mothers and newborns in the world’s most vulnerable places?

Thank you for standing with women and girls when it matters most.

— USA for UNFPA