PAHO highlights progress in reducing maternal mortality in the Americas, but warns of persistent challenges – PAHO/WHO

Washington DC, April 7, 2025 (PAHO) – On World Health Day 2025, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warned that, although the region of the Americas has progressed towards reducing maternal mortality, challenges remain, requiring urgent efforts to ensure that all women have access to quality medical care.

According to the trends of the United Nations report in maternal mortality estimates, there were 7,850 maternal deaths in the region in 2023, which represents a 15.7% decrease compared to the 9,210 deaths recorded in 2000, largely due to better access to essential health services. However, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in the Americas was 59 deaths per 100,000 living births in 2023, which is still above the regional objective of 30 deaths per 100,000 living births established by the Sustainable Health Agenda of Paho for the Americas by 2030.

Although the Americas represent 3% of total maternal deaths worldwide, the region shows significant disparities in maternal mortality. The rates vary from 10 deaths per 100,000 living births in Chile at 328 deaths in Haiti. Currently, five countries have very low MMR (less than 20), 26 countries have low MMR (20 to 99), four countries have moderate MMR (100 to 299), and only one country has a high mmr (more than 300).

«We cannot accept that, in a continent like ours, with high levels of development and investment, women continue to die during pregnancy, childbirth or postpartum period, or that children continue to die or suffer preventable diseases that will mark the rest of their lives,» said Paho Jarbas Barbas Barbas Barbosa. «Ensuring that each birth takes place in the best possible health conditions is not only the responsibility of health systems but also the duty of governments and each of us,» he added.

Between 2000 and 2023, 29 countries of the Americas reduced their MMR, while seven countries experienced increases, although only four of them were these statistically significant increases.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated pre-existing health access inequalities throughout the region, which led to a temporary increase in maternal deaths in 2020. However, by 2023, maternal mortality rates in the region had returned to pre-pondemic levels. Between 2020 and 2023, maternal mortality in the Americas decreased by 19%, which resulted in five maternal deaths but every day in the region.

The main causes of maternal death in the region include severe bleeding, hypertension, pregnancy -related infections and complications of insecure abortions. Paho emphasizes that almost all maternal deaths are preventable and that medical and scientific knowledge is available to guarantee favorable results, provided that women have access to respectful and quality medical care.

To further reduce maternal deaths, it is essential to address inequalities in access to sexual, reproductive, maternal and neonatal medical care. In addition, PAHO recommends guaranteeing universal access to medical care, improving the quality of care through a primary medical care approach, implementing strategies to address the main causes of obstetric complications and strengthen health systems to meet the needs of women and girls throughout their lives.

In June 2024, Paho launched the campaign of preventable zero maternal deaths to accelerate the actions aimed at improving the health of women. This initiative focuses on strengthening health systems, guaranteeing universal access to health services and ensuring that all women everywhere have access to high quality maternal care. Paho is also working to improve surveillance and reports of maternal mortality data in the region.

Global commitment

World Health Day, held every April 7, highlights a specific world interest in interest. The World Health Day campaign 2025, under the healthy issue, hopeful futures, calls to governments and the health community to intensify efforts to end the prevenible maternal and neonatal deaths and prioritize the long -term health and welfare of women and newborns.

Note for editors

About the United Nations Inter-Elder Group on maternal mortality estimation

The report was produced by WHO on behalf of the United Nations Inter-Agency Group on maternal mortality estimation, which includes WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, the World Bank group and the population division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Use national data to estimate levels and trends in maternal mortality from 2000 to 2023. Data in this new publication covers 195 countries and territories. This report replaces all the previous estimates published by the WHO and the United Nations Inter-Earnish Group on maternal mortality estimation.