The State of The World's Children 2009
Maternal and Newborn Health
Women in the world’s least developed countries are 300 times more likely to die in childbirth or from pregnancy-related complications than women in developed countries, according to UNICEF’s latest The State of the World’s Children report.
At the same time, a child born in a developing country is almost 14 times more likely to die during the first month of life than a child born in a developed one.
The health and survival of mothers and their newborns are linked, and many of the interventions that save new mothers’ lives also benefit their infants. The 2009 edition of UNICEF’s flagship publication highlights the link between maternal and neonatal survival and suggests opportunities to close the gap between rich and poor countries.