Maternal Health
Many women across the world give birth without medical assistance, which can increase the risk of complications or death.
Our healthcare teams work together with pregnant women to provide delivery services, emergency obstetric care and post-delivery consultations.
We work with midwives and traditional birth attendants to establish programmes so complicated births can be identified quickly to help prevent maternal deaths.
Our healthcare teams work together with pregnant women to provide delivery services, emergency obstetric care and post-delivery consultations.
We work with midwives and traditional birth attendants to establish programmes so complicated births can be identified quickly to help prevent maternal deaths.
How do we respond?
Most maternal deaths are preventable. Access to healthcare during pregnancy and childbirth are essential to allow for appropriately timed interventions to be taken if complications do arise.
In 2017, MSF assisted with 288,900 births, including by providing caesarean sections. Our teams also work to prevent infections during pregnancy, to treat conditions like pre-eclampsia, and to provide counselling and support to women who have had unsafe abortions, as well as contraception and assistance to women who want to plan their pregnancies.