Did you know? Every day, 830 women die due to complications in pregnancy or childbirth.
I gave birth to one of my children standing in the corner of a triage room, alone, because my doctors wouldn’t listen to me. They wouldn’t believe I knew my body. They didn’t trust me. Happily for all, my baby and I were safe. Not all mothers are as lucky. Women need to be heard and trusted.
We lose these 830 mothers every single day across the world. In the world’s tough spots, and right here at home. I lost a friend of mine this way. And several others have had life-threatening birth experiences of their own, or lost a dear family member. When a mother dies in childbirth, an entire community is changed and a family is ripped apart.
Mothers who are pregnant or giving birth deserve access to some fundamental rights:
- They deserve a trained birth attendant.
- They deserve a clean and safe space in which to deliver.
- They deserve access to basic medications and equipment needed for appropriate support and intervention if required.
- They deserve to be listened to.
Under the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (also known as the global goals), we can work together to help to improve the birth picture for mothers everywhere.
Take Action Challenge
On International Maternal Health and Rights Day (April 11), join Global Moms Challenge to discuss empowering mothers and maternal health at 1pm ET using #GlobalMoms.
How can gender #equality help support maternal health? Use #GlobalMoms to join the Intl Maternal Health Day Twitter chat on 4/11 at 1pm ET.
P.S. If you’re interested in maternal health, check out this upcoming event: Moms +SocialGood.
Lead photo of a mother postpartum. Photograph by Tom Adriaenssen