In case not seen, the Lancet maternal health Series 2016

The latest evidence and discussion on global maternal health.

‘Every women, every newborn, everywhere has the right to good quality care. This is the guiding message of the 2016 Lancet Maternal Health Series.’

‘The Series shines a light on the causes, trends, and prospects for maternal health in the current era of rapid demographic, epidemiological, and socioeconomic transition. It analyses experiences of the past 25 years, and exposes the growing threat to progress caused by poor quality care and inequity of access.

Since 1990, the gap between the group of countries with the highest level of maternal mortality and the group with the lowest has doubled in size. In high- and middle-income countries, and in better-off groups in low-income countries, there is a growing risk of over-medicalisation of normal pregnancy and birth, with the routine use of interventions unsupported by evidence. Facility-based births continue to rise, but maternity care that is too much, too soon may cause harm, raise health costs, and contribute to a culture of disrespect and abuse.

At the same time, poor quality care that is too little, too late jeopardizes the health of women and their newborn babies, whether in sparsely-populated rural areas, dense urban centres, or in settings marked by environmental or political fragility. Furthermore, despite the increases in maternity care coverage in the past 25 years, an estimated quarter of pregnant women still do not access skilled care at birth.’

Full Series : http://www.thelancet.com/series/maternal-health-2016

Attached is the social media tool kit to share the messages widely.

Best regards,

Olive

Olive Cocoman

Coordinator, Every Newborn Partnership

Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health

World Health Organization

20, Avenue Appia CH-1211 Geneva 27

Switzerland

Tel: +41 22791 2684

Skype: ococoman

E-mail: cocomano@who.int | Web: www.everynewborn.org