The Zero Maternal Deaths. Prevent the Preventable Campaign
The Zero Maternal Deaths. Prevent the Preventable is a call to action launched by the Regional Task Force for the Reduction of Maternal Mortality (GTR, by its Spanish acronym) to reposition maternal mortality as a central priority in the public, political and operational agenda of the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean, and thus accelerate the reduction of maternal deaths. The campaign begins on March 8, 2023 and ends on May 28 of this year.
Estimates on maternal mortality show that there has been a 20-year setback in maternal mortality indicators, a fact that calls for urgent action. Evidence indicates that 9 out of 10 maternal deaths are preventable with access to quality sexual and reproductive health services.
On average almost 8,000 women died annually during pregnancy, childbirth and up to 42 days postpartum between 2015 and 2020 in Latin America and the Caribbean. The COVID-19 pandemic increased maternal mortality and represented a major setback in the progress towards eradicating preventable deaths. In 2020, there were 25 maternal deaths per day in the region, more than one death per hour.
The absolute number of maternal deaths in the region in 2020 (N = 8446) was 9% higher than that recorded in 2019 (N = 7742). It moved from a maternal mortality ratio of 77 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019 to an estimated 88 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. Moreover, preliminary estimates indicate a maternal mortality rate of 113 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021, showing an alarming upward trend in maternal deaths compared to pre-pandemic year.
GTR launch campaign to reduce maternal mortality in Latin America and the Caribbean
Every hour, a woman loses her life in the region due to complications in pregnancy, childbirth or postpartum, the vast majority of which are preventable.
Washington DC, March 8, 2023 (GTR) – The Regional Task Force for the Reduction of Maternal Mortality (GTR, by its Spanish acronym), today launched a campaign to encourage countries in Latin American and the Caribbean to reduce maternal mortality, which increased by 15% between 2016 and 2020.
Around 8,400 women die each year in the region from complications in pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum…
Joint Statement on Reducing Maternal Morbidity and Mortality
The organizations constituting the GTR sign a document and call for action to accelerate the reduction of maternal mortality and commit to promote and support the strategic orientations agreed upon in the Interagency Strategic Consensus for the Reduction of Maternal Morbidity and Mortality 2020-2030. They also commit to advocate for governments and other key actors to prioritize maternal health in their agendas.
You can download the joint statement signed by the GTR here.
Also available in Spanish, Portuguese and French.
Nine steps to reduce maternal mortality
As part of the Zero Maternal Deaths. Prevent the preventable, the GTR proposes nine strategic steps to reduce maternal mortality in Latin America and the Caribbean. The proposal includes evidence-based recommendations to reduce preventable maternal deaths through actions in both public policy and health systems, including information and surveillance systems and attention to the needs of the adolescent population and youth.