The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers 17 goals, the third of which is “good health and well-being”, namely: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being at all ages. (Click here for details)

Under this major goal, there are thirteen targets, the first of which is “By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.”

● Current Situation

Phote source: internet 

Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being at all ages is essential for sustainable development. Although countries have made considerable progress in increasing life expectancy and reducing the number of common diseases leading to child and maternal deaths, skilled birth care needs to be improved to achieve the goal of less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.

About the World

Global MMR Not Optimistic

From 2000 to 2017, the global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) declined by 38 percent – from 342 deaths to 211 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to United Nations inter-agency estimates. This translates into an average annual rate of reduction of 2.9 percent. While substantive, this is less than half the 6.4 percent annual rate needed to achieve the Sustainable Development global goal of 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.

There has been significant progress since 2000. Between 2000 and 2017, South Asia achieved the greatest overall percentage reduction in MMR, with a reduction of 59 percent (from 395 to 163 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births).

Text source: UNICEF website 

About China

China Promotes Public Health Service for Women and Children

Photo source: sohu.com

In 2017, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in China was 19.6 deaths per 100,000 live births, a decrease of 78 percent compared with 89 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990, according to the National Health Commission.

It is the promotion of basic public health services and the development of major public health services for women and children that makes the significant progress, especially in underdeveloped areas. The in-hospital delivery, which is close to full coverage, is one of the important reasons for China's remarkable achievements in reducing maternal and infant mortality. From 2009 to 2016, China had provided financial supports to 74 million rural pregnant women for their in-hospital delivery. The ratio of in-hospital delivery of rural pregnant women had increased from 92.3 percent in 2008 to 99.6 percent in 2016.

Text source: Xinhua News Agency

● Cases

About the World

UN Takes Actions to Reduce MMR

World Health Organization, UNFPA and its partners have established the Maternal Death Surveillance and Response, which is to identify and report all maternal deaths in a timely manner, as well as review the causes of death and the prevention methods. There are more and more countries with low and medium incomes implementing this method.

Photo source: xinhua.com

In September 2015, the secretary general of the United Nations issued the Global Strategy for the Health of Women, Children and Adolescents, which aims to promote the global achievement of the ambitious goal by reducing the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) to 70 deaths per 100,000 live births. 

Text source: WHO website

About China

Shenzhen's MMR Lower Than That of Some Developed Countries

China has made remarkable achievements in solving the health gap between urban and rural areas, especially in improving overall maternal health. It provides invaluable reference for other countries and regions.

On May 25 and 26, 2019, Shenzhen Far East Maternity Hospital and Shenzhen Medical Association jointly hosted the "Pengcheng Obstetric Forum", which was attended by the best?obstetrics?doctors from Beijing, Shandong, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. The local maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in 2018 dropped to 5.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, a new low in recent years in Shenzhen. This ratio is even lower than that of some developed countries.

Text  and photo source: sznews.com

● Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Initiated by the United Nations

On January 1, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.