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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ProPublica Series Sheds Light on Critical Maternal Health Issues in the United States
In 2017, ProPublica introduced a series of articles titled “Lost Mothers” to raise awareness about preventable maternal deaths and striking maternal health inequities in the United States (U.S.). The featured article describes an effort to identify the estimated 700 to 900 women who died from pregnancy- or childbirth-related causes in 2016 in the U.S. Other articles highlight critical maternal health issues in the U.S. with an emphasis on racial inequities, quality of care and monitoring and surveillance of maternal deaths…read more
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2.6 Million Reasons to Invest in Stillbirth Estimates
Reducing stillbirths presents a solid case for economic investment with as much as a 10 to 25 times return on investment in economic and social benefits. Yet this investment case cannot be made if stillbirths are not tracked through national and global monitoring systems…read more
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International Women’s Day: Ensuring the Universal Rights of All Childbearing Women
Today on International Women’s Day—and every day—we must work to end preventable maternal mortality and protect the universal rights of all childbearing women before, during and after childbirth…read more
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In India, Culturally Relevant Community Events Aim to Improve Health-Seeking Behavior During Pregnancy
The latest National Family Health Survey revealed that only about a third of women in Maharashtra, a high-income and highly urbanized state in India, accessed full antenatal care—but culturally relevant community events have immense potential in improving health-seeking behavior of pregnant women while expanding their knowledge of and willingness to use available public health services…read more
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New Positions in Maternal Health
Interested in a position in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child or adolescent health? Every month, the Maternal Health Task Force rounds up job and internship postings from around the globe. In this month’s roundup, we are featuring positions with the World Health Organization, EngenderHealth, Management Sciences for Health and other organizations…read more
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Unlocking the Full Potential of Maternity Waiting Homes
Maternity waiting homes (MWHs) seek to reduce the distance to timely, high quality health care, which is often a major obstacle in the decision to seek care—especially for pregnant women living in rural areas. Findings from two recent studies offer three keys to unlocking the full potential of MWHs around the world…read more
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Identifying and Treating Gestational Diabetes Among Women Living with HIV in Ethiopia
A recent study conducted in Ethiopia found that relatively simple and low-cost interventions could help manage gestational diabetes for many women—but there were different outcomes among women living with HIV and those without the condition…read more
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New Series from The Lancet Calls for Renewed Attention to Malaria in Pregnancy
The Lancet recently published a Series with updated information and guidance on malaria in pregnancy. Despite advances in knowledge, prevention and treatment, malaria remains one of the most preventable causes of poor birth outcomes in many parts of the world—and continues to play a large role in global maternal deaths…read more
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Targeting Gestational Diabetes During Antenatal Care: Experience from Ethiopia
Evidence suggests that gestational diabetes is highly treatable and, since it is associated with other conditions, there may be opportunities for integrated treatment approaches. Researchers recently carried out a study assessing the prevalence of gestational diabetes in Ethiopia and the feasibility of integrating low-cost services for gestational diabetes into antenatal care…read more
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New Intrapartum Care Guideline from the World Health Organization Focuses on a Positive Childbirth Experience
To complement the 2016 antenatal care recommendations, the World Health Organization (WHO) has published new recommendations on intrapartum care for a positive childbirth experience. Notably, the guideline recommends respectful maternity care and companionship of choice during labor and childbirth for all women. WHO also states that unnecessary medical procedures should be avoided if labor is progressing normally and the woman and her baby are in good condition…read more
