Improve maternal health

Targets

Reduce by three-quarters the maternal mortality rate between 1990 and 2015.

Progress

Percentage of births in developing countries attended by skilled healthcare personnel:

1990 - 43%
2005 - 57%

Evidence indicates that improvements have been limited to countries with lower levels of mortality. Countries with high maternal mortality are experiencing stagnation or even reversals.

Asia Pacific accounts for half of the total 500,000 women who die each year as a result of pregnancy and birth, with many more left disabled or chronically ill.

Business can contribute to MDG 5 by:

• Playing a key role in establishing strong health systems
  In addition to contraception, women need access to a broad range of services. The primary means of preventing maternal deaths is to provide rapid access to emergency obstetrical care
• Promote health education
  Greater access to family planning can help reduce the maternal mortality rate by reducing the number of pregnancies. Women comprise the majority of the workforce in labour-intensive manufacturing industries such as apparel, footwear, toys, electronics, food processing and house-wares. Therefore, business in these sectors, whose supply chains extend into developing countries, can have a major impact on improving the health of these women through health education, access and nutrition.

Primer questions

• Can you provide affordable reproductive health products?
• Can you improve working conditions and occupational health for women in your supply chain or workplace?
• Can you develop new products that combat nutritional deficiencies in women?
• Can you provide educational resources on mothering?