A United Nations-supported maternal health programme helped an estimated 4.7 million women access safer childbirth care across 44 countries in 2025, strengthening efforts to prevent maternal and newborn deaths.
The UNFPA Maternal and Newborn Health Fund describes its work as supporting “the leadership and investment of national governments in maternal and newborn health and the work of health professionals, communities, civil society and partners.”
Since its launch in 2008, the Fund has contributed to safer delivery care for 41.7 million women, trained and supported 864,030 midwives and facilitated 153,000 surgeries to treat obstetric fistula, a serious childbirth injury. In 2025 alone, 88,030 midwives received training or support, while 8,201 fistula surgeries were performed. Across participating countries, maternal deaths declined by 37% between 2010 and 2023, nearly 1.7 times the global rate of reduction. Furthermore, 38 countries now have universal health coverage policies or plans that include maternal healthcare, while 77% have introduced or begun expanding access to recommended medicines for childbirth complications. In Sudan, the programme helped maintain 71 emergency maternity facilities, deploy 275 midwives, and equip 40 maternity centres with solar power, showing how sustained investment can improve lifesaving care even in humanitarian crises.
