Despite decades of progress in global health, pregnancy and childbirth remain life-threatening events for millions of women, especially in the world’s most fragile settings. A joint report from the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), comprised of the WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, the World Bank Group, and UNDESA/Population Division, shows that nearly 260,000 women died from pregnancy-related causes in 2023, equivalent to one woman every two minutes. While this marks a 40% reduction since 2000, the pace of progress has slowed since 2016, and stark inequalities persist. This reduction also makes reaching the SDGs nearly impossible by 2030. 

Where Is It Most Dangerous?

Sub-Saharan Africa: The Epicenter of Maternal Risk

Despite the slowdown in maternal mortality ratios (MMR) over nearly a decade, there is good news. For the first time, no SDG region today is classified as having a “very high” MMR according to the aforementioned joint report. However, based on the latest UN estimates, high MMR is overwhelmingly concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa. 

According to 2023 MMEIG data:

• Nigeria has the most maternal deaths at 75,000, and accounts for 25 percent of all global maternal deaths
• Three sub-Saharan countries (Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Chad) each account for at least 5000 maternal deaths, but less than 10,000
• Eight sub-Saharan countries, including South Sudan, Liberia, the  Central African Republic, and Benin, have high maternal mortality ratios
• Nearly two-thirds of all global maternal deaths now occur in countries affected by conflict or institutional fragility.

Poverty, weak health systems, chronic conflict, and lack of access to skilled care all combine to make childbirth extremely dangerous the world over, even in the United States. Without timely access to trained health professionals during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum, common complications such as severe bleeding, infection, and high blood pressure often become fatal.

Barriers to Safe Birth

The risks in these countries stem from multiple, overlapping challenges:

• Conflict and instability disrupt health services and force families from their homes.
• Lack of trained health workers means many women give birth without skilled assistance.
• Poor infrastructure and supplies mean even basic emergency care may be unavailable.
• Poverty and education gaps limit women’s ability to seek timely care.

Even outside war zones, fragile health systems and chronic under-investment leave many women without quality prenatal care, family planning services, or emergency obstetric care when complications arise, most of which are entirely preventable with the right resources. 

How You Can Help

Though the crisis is global, there are several powerful ways to make a difference:

1. Advocate for Stronger U.S. Global Health Funding

Recent reporting and UN warnings stress that cuts to international aid can reverse years of progress, making maternal death rates worse, especially where health systems are weakest. Sustained investment in global maternal and child health programs ensures that clinics remain open, health workers are adequately trained, and essential supplies reach communities in need. 

Start by finding your local congressional representatives and contact them via email, phone, or a letter, or even schedule a meeting to express why global health funding is important to you. 

2. Support Organizations on the Ground

Many nonprofits and global health agencies work directly in high-risk countries to:

• Train and support midwives and nurses
• Provide emergency obstetric care
• Expand access to family planning and prenatal health services

Supporting groups like UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA, International Rescue Committee, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), and local health NGOs help deliver life-saving care where it’s needed most. Read our latest post about five organizations to donate to that help women’s and girls’ health needs. 

3. Raise Awareness and Educate Your Networks

Sharing facts and personal stories about maternal health disparities helps keep the issue visible. Writing to elected officials, talking about global maternal health on social media, and educating friends and family can build broader support for policies that save lives. Please share this article if you are so inclined.

4. Fundraise and Donate

Simple actions like a fundraiser for a clinic in Chad or sponsoring a midwife’s training in Haiti can directly impact outcomes in some of the most-challenged regions.

It’s unacceptable that in 2025, a woman’s chance of dying from pregnancy or childbirth still depends so heavily on where she lives. But with targeted investments, global solidarity, and sustained action from communities around the world, progress can make maternal deaths truly preventable.