Galvanizing collective action to accelerate reductions in maternal and newborn mortality and prevention of stillbirths
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Date
2021Author
Gibson, Anita
Noguchi, Lisa
Kinney, Mary V.
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Every day, there are an estimated 810 maternal and
7,000 newborn deaths, and more than 5,000 stillbirths, most of which are preventable.1-3 While progress
has been made in reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality and preventing stillbirths worldwide, inequities and gaps in quality of care persist4 and
are disproportionately most dire in countries affected by
conflict.5 In 2020, the coronavirus disease (COVID19) pandemic and response exposed multiple system
vulnerabilities, exacerbated inequities to accessing
care, and caused widespread disruption in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health services.6,7 Emerging evidence and modeling estimates
of the indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on
maternal and newborn mortality in low- and
middle-income countries (LMICs) reflect a sobering
picture of what could lay ahead, with additional
deaths estimated to be in the tens of thousands for
mothers and hundreds of thousands for stillbirths
and children aged under 5 years.3, 8-10 A dedicated,
focused effort must be made to ensure maternal and
newborn health (MNH) and prevention of stillbirths
remain a priority.