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Maternal health

In 2022, we reached over 18 million children and adults in over 44 countries with our maternal and newborn health programmes.

No one should have to give birth alone and risk losing their baby or their life.

But, thanks to our supporters, we work to enable safe birth with trained midwives, Emergency Health Units and specialist birthing kits, as well as life-saving equipment and medicines.

Midwives

We train midwives all over the world to create lasting change for children from the moment they enter the world.

These midwives travel for hours to rural locations and go where they’re needed most – from war zones and refugee camps, to borders and remote communities.

Emergency Health Units

Our Emergency Health Units respond to disasters that wipe out entire communities, as well as forgotten crises where children’s suffering can go unnoticed. Services include life-saving maternal care, as well as vaccinations, mental health support and treatment for common diseases and malnutrition.

It's the very first of many ways that we help to create lasting change for and with children. 

Meet Alice

Alice, the inspirational midwife behind our new campaign

Alice is a Save the Children midwife – and a superstar.

Over three decades – including during civil war and the Ebola crisis – she’s devoted herself to helping women in her community in Liberia give birth safely. “If I don’t deliver a child a day I feel so bad… because it’s what I love,” she says.

Alice works in a rural health clinic Save the Children helped build and continues to support with equipment: like motorbikes!  

 

In the rainy season when flooding makes it impossible for women to get to the clinic to give birth, Alice can still support them by using the motorbike to get to their homes.

It's the very first of many ways that we help to create lasting change for and with children. 

She’s turned down the chance of promotion because she didn’t want to give up her frontline work. “I said, ‘No. I really love doing deliveries… I want to be where I am,’” she explains.

That passion and commitment mean Alice has become a local hero. Babies that Alice helped deliver are often named in her honour, so today, there are more than 1,000 babies named after her in the community! A remarkable legacy of a remarkable woman.

You can read Alice's full story here

Journeys like Alice’s are taking place all over the world to reach more women in some of the most dangerous and remote places to give birth.

  • 1 in 8 women around the world give birth without access to medical help
  • Nearly 300,000 women die each year due to complications from childbirth
  • 50 million pregnant women receive fewer than 4 antenatal care visits
  • 20% of women worldwide are affected by mental health concerns during pregnancy and the postpartum period
  • Less than 50% of all births in low- and middle-income countries are assisted by skilled health workers, resulting in increased risks of maternal and newborn death, stillbirth, or disability

Here's a few of the things we're doing;

  • Rwanda: Working with US drone company Zipline, we're delivering drugs and blood directly to the centre at Mahama camp by drone. This has been a game changer for babies and mothers’ lives and wellbeing, reducing infant and mother mortality as well as post-partum complications.  
  • Colombia: Our maternity facility is helping Venezuelan refugees give birth safely 
  • Kenya: We worked closely with the Ministry of Health to establish Kangaroo Mother Care as standard practice in the care of preterm babies.

 

  • Bangladesh: Our Save the Children maternity boat travels to pregnant women in water-surrounded communities in Bangladesh who are unable to travel.
  • Yemen: We provide maternal mental health training to health workers, which helps mothers to cope with their stress and anxiety. This enables them to provide better care and nutrition to their children.

Help to make lasting change for children