Statistics on the Effects of Poverty on Maternal Health and Saving Newborn Lives
Newborns have the highest risk of death among all children. The 4 million deaths annually among newborns now represent 40 percent of all deaths to children under age 5, yet little attention has been focused on this vulnerable group. Death rates among all children under age 5 have declined in recent decades, but newborn death rates have changed very little.
 |
Source: Lawn, Joy E., Simon, Cousens and Jelka Zupan. "4 million neonatal deaths: When? Where? Why?" The Lancet. March 3, 2005. (Lynhurst Press Ltd: London) p. 13 |
Causes of Newborn Deaths
Most newborn deaths could be prevented if women had access to basic health care such as; immunizations to protect expectant mothers and newborns against tetanus, skilled midwifery care during childbirth, timely and appropriate treatment of newborn infections, and proper attention to hygiene, warmth, and breastfeeding for new babies.
Save the Children works to improve health care to reduce newborn deaths in developing countries. As maternal and newborn health is so closely interrelated, the health and survival of newborns depends on the care provided to both. Save the Children works to make low-cost and feasible solutions more widely available among millions of women and newborns in need.
