Have you ever wondered if anyone has taken notice of the maternal and infant mortality rates throughout the world? If your answer is yes, then you are not alone. As many of you know, it is because of the things Tammy has seen throughout her travels that Joule Birth exists. Thankfully, Tammy isn’t the only one who has noticed the need throughout the world for better maternal care.
The United Nations (UN) has taken notice. In fact, when they laid out the 2015 Millennium Development Goals, goal number 5 is to improve maternal health.
The targets for improving maternal health include reducing by three-fourths the maternal mortality ratio and achieve universal access to reproductive health. Poverty and lack of education perpetuate high adolescent birth rates. Inadequate funding for family planning is a major failure in fulfilling commitments to improving women’s reproductive health. (http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/mdgoverview/mdg_goals/mdg5/)
There are less than 1000 days left to meet this goal. Let’s take a look and see how they have done:
Target 5.A: Reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio
- Maternal mortality has nearly halved since 1990. An estimated 287,000 maternal deaths occurred in 2010 worldwide, a decline of 47 per cent from 1990. All regions have made progress but accelerated interventions are required in order meet the target.
- In Eastern Asia, Northern Africa and Southern Asia, maternal mortality has declined by around two-thirds.
- Nearly 50 million babies worldwide are delivered without skilled care.
- The maternal mortality ratio in developing regions is still 15 times higher than in the developed regions.
- The rural-urban gap in skilled care during childbirth has narrowed.
Target 5.B: Achieve universal access to reproductive health
- More women are receiving antenatal care. In developing regions, antenatal care increased from 63 per cent in 1990 to 81 per cent in 2011.
- Only half of women in developing regions receive the recommended amount of health care they need.
- Fewer teens are having children in most developing regions, but progress has slowed.
- The large increase in contraceptive use in the 1990s was not matched in the 2000s.
- The need for family planning is slowly being met for more women, but demand is increasing at a rapid pace.
- Official Development Assistance for reproductive health care and family planning remains low.
The UN is definitely on it’s way to meeting it’s goals. There will always be room for improvement which is why Joule Birth exists. We will be part of the solution, with your help. Please click share to share this important information with your friends and family on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc..with as little as $20 you can make a difference. Click here to donate today.