USAID’s Successes in Reducing Pregnancy-Related Death

USAID supported maternal health programs seek to reduce pregnancy-related deaths and disabilities through the greater use of cost-effective prevention and treatment interventions. These interventions emphasize family-centered services, women’s participation, and the application of effective technologies. Maternal health services such as prenatal, safe delivery, and postpartum care also provide an opportunity for health providers to share information, and provide services for family planning, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, sexually-transmitted infections, and other infectious diseases.

This approach has proven successful in reducing maternal mortality in a number of USAID-assisted countries. In Egypt, for example, maternal mortality has declined by 52 percent since the late 1980s. Honduras (41 percent), and Guatemala (30 percent) have also experienced substantial decreases in maternal mortality. Sub-Saharan Africa is not sharing in such successes, however. Most countries in the region have had little or no reduction in maternal mortality in the last decade, and recent Demographic and Health Surveys indicate that maternal mortality has increased in Zimbabwe and Malawi. The HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa likely contributes to these trends.