PAHO Calls for Accelerated Action to Reduce Maternal Mortality in the Americas

Washington, D.C., 6 March 2026 (PAHO) – On International Women’s Day, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is urging accelerated efforts to reduce maternal mortality and ensure all women in the Americas have access to essential health services, medicines, and technologies for safe motherhood.

Maternal Mortality Rates in the Region

Despite progress made in recent decades, thousands of women continue to lose their lives each year from pregnancy and childbirth-related causes that are preventable. In 2023, nearly 8,000 maternal deaths were recorded in the Americas, resulting in a maternal mortality ratio of 59 deaths per 100,000 live births. This rate remains above the regional target of 30 per 100,000 established under PAHO’s Sustainable Health Agenda for the Americas 2030.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Subsequent Recovery

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities and led to a temporary increase in maternal deaths. However, countries in the Americas responded with a coordinated and determined effort, successfully reducing maternal deaths by 17% in the years following the peak of the pandemic – equivalent to saving the lives of five pregnant women every day.

Disparities in Access to Care

Despite this recovery, gaps in access to maternal and neonatal health services continue to disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. Indigenous women in some countries of Latin America and the Caribbean face up to three times the risk of dying during pregnancy or childbirth.

Leading Causes of Maternal Death

The primary causes of maternal death in the Region include postpartum hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy such as preeclampsia and eclampsia, and severe infections related to pregnancy. Nearly all of these deaths are preventable with timely access to quality, respectful, and evidence-based care, along with appropriate medicines and technologies.

PAHO Initiatives to Address Maternal Mortality

In 2024, PAHO launched the Zero Preventable Maternal Deaths initiative to accelerate action and ensure no woman dies from preventable causes related to pregnancy or childbirth. The initiative urges countries to:

• Make commitments to adequate financing that prioritizes women’s health.
• Promote intersectoral collaboration to eliminate barriers to care.
• Deploy effective social mobilization strategies to increase awareness of maternal health issues.

Strengthening Health Systems and Primary Care

The call to action emphasizes stronger governance and stewardship of health systems to improve the management of maternal health. Key strategies include expanding and strengthening primary health care and consolidating integrated health service networks based on the Primary Health Care approach, with a focus on quality maternal, sexual, and reproductive health services. Ensuring sufficient, well-distributed, well-trained, and motivated health workers is also crucial, as is empowering women, families, and communities to access health services and exercise their sexual and reproductive rights.

Essential Supply Packages

PAHO has strengthened its technical cooperation through the launch of essential maternal and neonatal health supply packages. These packages contain a catalogue of priority medicines, medical devices, and equipment, facilitating their joint, safe, and affordable procurement through the Organization’s Regional Revolving Funds.

On International Women’s Day, observed each 8 March, PAHO underscores the urgency of ensuring equity in access to health services, medicines, and health technologies, strengthening health systems, and prioritizing the most vulnerable populations so that all women can exercise their right to safe motherhood.