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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Boston, MA 02115
Blog
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World Contraception Day: How Does Family Planning Impact Maternal Health?
World Contraception Day is an opportunity to remember that in many parts of the world, a large gap persists between women’s reproductive intentions and their access to family planning options. Integrating family planning services into maternal health services can be an effective strategy for reducing unmet need, especially in situations where maternity care is a woman’s primary contact with the health care system…read more
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Resource for Managing Postpartum Hemorrhage and Pre-eclampsia/Eclampsia Now Available in French!
We are excited to announce that the Obstetric Emergency Drills Training Kit, a free resource available for clinicians worldwide, is now available in French! The Obstetric Emergency Drills Trainer’s Manual and accompanying resources were developed by the Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy in Argentina and the Maternal Health Task Force. It is our hope that, when combined, these resources will be invaluable for clinicians seeking ways to prepare for obstetric emergencies and manage postpartum hemorrhage and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia…read more
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From the Archives | The Global and National Maternal Mortality Targets for the Sustainable Development Goals
Reducing the global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) to less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births through national reduction of MMR by two-thirds in all countries by 2030 and reducing inequities in maternal survival within and among countries will be challenging; but with continued investment in maternal health research, programs and policy at the global, national and local levels, we can work together to end preventable maternal mortality across the globe…read more
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Strategies to Improve Maternal Health in Urban India: Responding to Urbanization and Migration
Over the past decade, India has implemented several programs with the aim of improving maternal health nationwide, but the latest data reveal that progress has been inconsistent. Rapid urbanization and migration into India’s cities has overwhelmed the health system, creating maternal health challenges for women in urban settings…read more
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Adapting the Safe Childbirth Checklist to Reduce Stillbirths and Neonatal Deaths in India
In August 2017, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health hosted a seminar featuring Beena Varghese, Senior Health Economist at the Public Health Foundation of India, who presented findings from a study she led in Rajasthan, India to examine the impact of an adapted version of the World Health Organization Safe Childbirth Checklist on rates of stillbirth and very early neonatal deaths…read more
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On World Sepsis Day, Let’s Focus on Mothers and Newborns
13 September is World Sepsis Day, an opportunity for the global health community to recognize the burden of this morbidity and build momentum for prompt action. Sepsis, which is a result of the body’s response to infection, is responsible for roughly 11% of maternal deaths and 8% of newborn deaths worldwide…read more
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Alarming Shortage of Health Personnel in Conflict-Affected Nigeria
The United Nations Population Fund estimates that 1.7 million women affected by the conflict in Nigeria are of reproductive age, and some 276,000 of these women are likely to become pregnant this year. The violence has left more than 40% of health facilities either destroyed or badly damaged, and many doctors and nurses were forced to flee, creating a crisis for women who need maternal health care…read more
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How Bangladesh Increased Maternal Health Care Utilization and Reduced Inequities
Despite achieving a 70% reduction in its national maternal mortality ratio between 1990 and 2015, Bangladesh has had difficulty finding solutions for geographic and socioeconomic differences in maternal death rates. A recent paper examined the impact of the Maternal and Neonatal Health Initiatives in Bangladesh program on maternal health care utilization and equity…read more
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Wilson Center Event | Reaching the Farthest Behind: Facility-Level Innovations in Maternal Health
We are excited to announce the upcoming dialogue, “Reaching the Farthest Behind: Facility-Level Innovations in Maternal Health.” The event will take place at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. (and online!) on Thursday, 14 September 2017 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm EDT. This dialogue is part of the Maternal Health Task Force’s Advancing Dialogue on Maternal Health Series, in partnership with UNFPA and the Wilson Center…read more
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A Little Respect: Improving Maternity Care
In a webinar hosted by the Maternal Health Task Force and Ariadne Labs, speakers discussed the importance of respectful maternity care (RMC) and strategies for integrating RMC principles into quality improvement initiatives globally…read more