A new United Nations report has revealed that Pakistan, alongside Nigeria, India, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), accounted for nearly 50% of all estimated maternal deaths worldwide in 2023. These deaths primarily stemmed from complications during pregnancy or childbirth.
Published by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) on World Health Day (April 7), the Trends in Maternal Mortality report offers a sobering look at global maternal health, warning of the adverse impact of shrinking international aid from major donors like the US and UK.
According to the data, maternal mortality dropped by 40% between 2000 and 2023 due to better access to essential health services. However, that progress is now at risk. The report stresses that reductions in funding threaten life-saving maternal, newborn, and child health services—especially in regions already facing humanitarian crises.
Nigeria led the statistics with approximately 75,000 maternal deaths in 2023, making up over 28% of the global total. India and the DRC followed, each recording an estimated 19,000 deaths (7.2%), while Pakistan reported 11,000 deaths (4.1%).
Combined, these four countries were responsible for nearly 47% of all maternal deaths globally last year.
The report urged renewed investments in midwives, nurses, and other frontline health workers, especially in conflict-affected and low-resource settings, where maternal mortality remains unacceptably high.
“While there are signs of progress, the data shows that pregnancy remains life-threatening for many women, even though solutions exist to prevent most complications,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He emphasized the importance of strengthening women’s access to quality maternity care and protecting their reproductive rights.
For the first time, the report also detailed the toll of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal health. It noted a sharp rise in deaths—40,000 additional maternal deaths in 2021, reaching 282,000 in 2022 and 322,000 in 2023. The increase was attributed not only to direct effects of the virus but also to widespread disruptions in maternal care services.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell highlighted that when a mother dies, the baby’s life is also in grave danger. “Far too often, both lives are lost to preventable causes,” she said, urging governments to urgently fund and support health systems.
The report revealed persistent global disparities. Although maternal mortality declined significantly in sub-Saharan Africa, Central and Southern Asia, and in regions like Australia and New Zealand, sub-Saharan Africa still bore the highest burden—accounting for about 70% of all maternal deaths in 2023 due to widespread poverty and ongoing conflict.
In contrast, five regions saw little to no progress after 2015, including Northern Africa and Western Asia, Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand), and Europe and North America.
UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem emphasized that maternal health is a fundamental human right. She called for investment in supply chains, midwifery training, and data systems that identify those most at risk.
The report also highlighted that nearly two-thirds of maternal deaths now occur in countries grappling with fragility or conflict. It called for more efforts to ensure critical services during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, while also improving access to family planning, preventing conditions like anaemia and malaria, and empowering girls and women through education and healthcare access.
