Maternal Health Task Force
The Maternal Health Task Force strives to create a strong, well-informed and collaborative community of individuals focused on ending preventable maternal mortality and morbidity worldwide.
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Blog
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World Maternal Mental Health Day: Perinatal Mental Health Issues Affect Mothers, Fathers and Families
The term perinatal mental health is generally used to refer to the mental health of women during pregnancy and in the postpartum period, but paternal perinatal mental health may also have a large impact on the health and wellbeing of mothers and offspring as well as on fathers themselves…read more
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Why Community Health Workers Can Lead to More Respectful Care for Women and Girls
While many research and program initiatives focus on new innovations for advancing improvements in maternal and newborn health, the truth is that even today, basic access to health services can save lives and reduce mortality and morbidity in women and children. This is where community health workers come in…read more
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World Malaria Day: New Resources for Addressing Malaria in Pregnancy
While the number of deaths from malaria has declined around the world, malaria in pregnancy (MiP) continues to pose substantial health risks to pregnant women and newborns. MiP is a large contributor of global maternal deaths, and in sub-Saharan Africa, malaria infection in pregnancy accounts for approximately one in five stillbirths and one in ten newborn deaths. MiP can lead to other complications including anemia, prematurity and low birthweight…read more
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10 Lessons From The BetterBirth Study
The BetterBirth Program team at Ariadne Labs and partners recently led one of the world’s largest maternal newborn health trials in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Using bedside peer-coaching of birth attendants and facility managers, along with the World Health Organization’s Safe Childbirth Checklist, researchers focused on improving birth attendants’ use of basic care practices. The results showed marked improvement in care—but no reduction in mortality rates…read more
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When Home Birth Is Not a Choice
While advocacy efforts around home birth—typically in high-income countries—tend to center on women’s rights to choose where they will have their babies, it is important to remember that home birth is not always a choice. Particularly in low-resource settings, women sometimes deliver at home not because they want to, but because they have to…read more
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A Low-Cost Care Bundle Reduces Preterm Infant Mortality in Tanzania
Despite progress, Tanzania’s under-five mortality rate continues to be high—largely driven by deaths during the first week of birth. A pilot study recently assessed the benefits of a low-cost, evidence-based preventive care bundle on preterm infant mortality. The pilot was introduced at three university-affiliated and one district hospital with support from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Tanzania…read more
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Midwives, Government Officials and International Agencies Meet in Mexico City to Discuss Inclusion of Birth Centers Into the National Health System
In January 2018, the Network for Midwifery Centers held an International Best Practices Meeting in Mexico City bringing together stakeholders from the World Health Organization, the Pan-American Health Organization, United Nations Population Fund, the Committee for Safe Motherhood, Federal Ministry of Health, eight State Ministries of Health, academics, midwives, mothers and other grassroots organizations to come to agreement on the role of midwifery centers in improving maternal health in Mexico…read more
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Landmark Ruling in Kenya: A Victory for Respectful Maternity Care
This year, International Day for Maternal Health and Rights fell three weeks after a Kenyan woman was awarded 25,000 USD in compensation by a court in Bungoma, Kenya for the disrespect and abuse she suffered during childbirth in 2013. This is a landmark case for women, in Kenya and globally, and is an affirmation of their human right to respectful and dignified maternity care…read more
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What Do Women Want When It Comes to High Quality Maternal and Reproductive Health Care?
Launched today on International Day for Maternal Health and Rights by the White Ribbon Alliance and partners, the What Women Want campaign aims to gather input from at least one million women and adolescent girls about how they define high quality maternal and reproductive health services. Take the one-question survey and spread the word!…read more
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International Day for Maternal Health and Rights: Five Perspectives on Respectful Maternity Care
Tomorrow, 11 April is International Day for Maternal Health and Rights, a call-to-action to address every woman’s right to high quality, respectful care before, during and after pregnancy. Experts in research, midwifery, obstetrics and gynecology and program implementation share insight into respectful maternity care (RMC) and how to integrate the principles of RMC into quality improvement initiatives…read more