maternal & child survival
Saving the lives of mothers, babies, and children
A world where no mother or child dies a preventable death
No parent should ever have to bury their child, and no child should lose their mother to a preventable cause. Today, child deaths are on the rise for the first time this century and progress toward ending maternal deaths has stalled. But there’s still hope, because we already have incredible tools and innovations available that can save lives—with more on the way.
Our goal is to help more children live beyond their fifth birthdays and prevent the devastating loss of mothers and children from preventable causes.
Why saving the lives of mothers, babies, and children matters:
- Every seven seconds, a woman or her newborn child dies from complications arising from pregnancy and childbirth.
- Today, child deaths are on the rise for the first time this century and progress toward ending maternal deaths has stalled.
How we work with partners to save the lives of mothers and babies
Maternal, Newborn, Child Nutrition & Health
More than 800 women and 7,000 babies die each day from preventable pregnancy and childbirth complications. We work to ensure women and newborns in low- and middle-income countries survive and remain healthy before, during, and after childbirth.
Women’s Health Innovations
We are committed to developing new tools that support women’s health at every stage of life.
Family Planning
We work to ensure women and girls in low- and middle-income countries can take charge of their own reproductive health, and make informed decisions about family planning, and have access to contraceptive options that meet their needs.
Nutrition
More than 1 billion women and children do not have access to the nutrition and healthy diets they need to survive and thrive. We work to ensure all women and children have access to proven interventions – from breastfeeding to fortified pantry staples – that help them lead a healthy and productive life.
Immunization
Vaccines are one of the world’s most cost-effective health tools, saving 3.5 to 5 million lives each year. We support the delivery of lifesaving vaccines to places with some of the highest rates of unimmunized children.
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