Coordinated by: Helene Davis, Imperial WHOCC Intern
Edited by: Rachel Barker, Imperial WHOCC Support Officer
The health of mothers and babies is crucial to building strong families and communities, paving the way for a brighter future for everyone.
World Health Day 2025 highlights the urgent need to accelerate efforts to eliminate preventable maternal and newborn deaths, while also focusing on the long-term health and wellbeing of women.
The campaign aims to:
- raise awareness about gaps in maternal and newborn health and the need to prioritise women’s long-term well-being
- advocate for effective investment to improve the health of women and babies
- encourage collective action to support parents as well as health professionals who provide critical care
- provide useful health information relating to pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period
We asked our staff and collaborators to share insights into the importance of maternal and newborn health…..
Achieving Targets and Investing in Human Capital
Achieving maternal and newborn health targets is crucial for saving lives and securing a hopeful future for women and children worldwide. However, progress has stalled at an annual rate of maternal mortality reduction of just 0.5%. This must be addressed. Key actions such as postnatal care, four or more antenatal visits, skilled birth attendants, and equity across nations are essential to drive change.
Targets cannot be reached without investing in maternal and newborn health. These investments pay significant returns. In low- and middle-income countries, every US$1 spent on maternal and newborn health generates US$9 to US$20 in economic benefits, a significant return on investment. This investment leads to healthier, happier societies and drives economic development. Despite its importance, only 12% of countries have fully financed maternal and newborn health plans, highlighting the need for greater commitment and resources in order to address this lack of progress.
Written by: Helene Davis, Imperial WHOCC Intern
No One Left Behind
As a surgeon and healthcare provider, I believe we must advocate for equitable access to emergency obstetric care, skilled birth attendance, and essential supplies in crisis-affected regions. By focusing our efforts where the need is greatest, we can dramatically reduce preventable deaths and ensure dignified care for all mothers and newborns, regardless of circumstance.
“Every Incision Saves Two Lives: Surgical Excellence in Fragile Settings”
Written by: Professor Zacharoula Sidiropoulou, WHOCC Collaborator
The Indirect Causes of Maternal Mortality
Indirect causes of maternal mortality include infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS or malaria, and pre-existing health conditions like diabetes or hypertension.
It is the second most common cause of maternal mortality globally, causing almost 1 in 4 maternal deaths, according to a WHO study.
This World Health Day, it is crucial to improve access to healthcare, including prevention, detection and management of these potentially life-threatening conditions, to improve the safety and health of millions worldwide.
Written by: Ishani Sharma, Imperial WHOCC Intern
Lifesaving Care During and After Birth
As an Anaesthetist with a special interest in Obstetric Anaesthesia, Prehabilitation, and Lifestyle Medicine:
Over 70% of maternal deaths occur from preventable obstetric complications such as haemorrhage and pre-eclampsia, mostly during labour or shortly after delivery. Integrating lifestyle medicine and structured prehabilitation into antenatal care significantly improves maternal resilience and birth outcomes. Ensuring timely access to skilled obstetric and anaesthetic care, alongside emergency interventions, is essential, empowering mothers for safer childbirth and healthier futures.
Written by: Dr Sunil Kumar, WHOCC Collaborator
Immediate Newborn Care & Special Attention to Vulnerable Babies
Immediate newborn care is integral in reducing infant mortality; newborn deaths make up 50% of deaths under five, totalling 2.4 million each year. The first moments after birth are critical, as newborns need skin-to-skin contact for warmth, immediate breastfeeding to boost immunity, and proper cord care to prevent infections. Simple, evidence-based interventions empower parents and healthcare providers to give every baby a healthy start.
Complications relating to prematurity and low birth weight are leading causes of death in newborns and young children. Vulnerable babies require specialized, around-the-clock care to survive and thrive. Investing in special newborn care units, timely referrals, and family support is essential. Access to effective healthcare, life-saving interventions, and warmth through skin-to-skin care can make a notable difference. Strengthening healthcare systems will ensure every baby gets the best start in life, reducing preventable newborn deaths worldwide.
Written by: Emmanuel Urama, Imperial WHOCC Intern
Focus on Midwives
The role of midwives before, during, and after birth is essential. Care from a midwife has been shown to reduce preterm births, unnecessary medical interventions and survival rates. Research indicates that midwifery-led care can reduce the risk of preterm labour by 24% and neonatal deaths by 16%. Investing in midwifery and ensuring a well-trained midwife workforce is a cost-effective and vital approach to enhancing maternal and newborn health, saving lives, and reducing healthcare expenses.
Written by: Helene Davis, Imperial WHOCC Intern
Access to Family Planning
Access to safe, effective contraception is vital for reproductive health and rights. Around 218 million women in low- and middle-income countries lack access to modern methods. Meeting this need can prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce health risks, and promote gender equality. Contraceptive access supports healthier families, eases pressure on healthcare systems and advances sustainable development. Expanding availability and education empowers individuals to make informed choices and strengthens communities.
Written by: Mona Kuroiwa, Imperial WHOCC Intern
Solutions for Low-Income Contexts
Eliminating wealth-related inequality in under-five mortality could save the lives of 1.8 million children in low- and middle-income countries. Bridging this gap requires focused investment in maternal and newborn health, especially in poorer and fragile settings. Research is essential to identify cost-effective, scalable solutions that address leading causes of death. By improving access to quality care for the most vulnerable, we can reduce child mortality and build more equitable, resilient health systems.
Written by: Mona Kuroiwa, Imperial WHOCC Intern
Compassionate and Respectful Care
Clinical competence alone isn’t enough—maternal and newborn care must combine technical excellence with profound respect for human dignity. Person-centred approaches that actively involve women in their care journey improve outcomes and experiences. For those facing stillbirth or miscarriage, compassionate support becomes as vital as medical intervention.
By training healthcare providers in both clinical skills and empathetic communication, we ensure that even when we cannot save every life, we preserve the dignity of every patient.
Written by: Professor Zacharoula Sidiropoulou, WHOCC Collaborator
Postnatal Support
The postpartum period presents numerous challenges for women, with nearly one-third facing long-term health issues that affect both their physical and mental well-being. These complications can have lasting impacts on women, their newborns’ socio-cognitive development, and their families. Providing comprehensive, quality postnatal care is essential for new families. By adapting services and fostering ongoing community support, we can significantly improve the health and well-being of mothers and babies, ensuring better outcomes for years to come.
Written by: Ela Augustyniak, Imperial WHOCC Project Manager
Family-Friendly Policies
Family-friendly policies are essential for maternal and child health, yet more than half a billion working women globally lack adequate maternity protections. Insufficient paid leave and workplace support can limit breastfeeding, which is critical for infant health and development. Ensuring at least 18 weeks of paid maternity leave, as well as legal safeguards and breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, can improve health outcomes, promote gender equality, and strengthen economies.
Written by: Holly Exton–Smith, WHOCC Collaborator
Empowering Girls and Women
As a global surgeon: Education serves as powerful preventive medicine. Girls who stay in school face dramatically lower risks of early pregnancy—critical when complications remain the leading cause of death among 15-19-year-olds. Rural adolescents, who experience nearly twice the birth rates of their urban counterparts, particularly benefit from educational opportunities. By empowering girls to make informed decisions about their bodies and futures, we prevent countless maternal deaths. Education doesn’t just transform lives—it saves them.
“Beyond the Scalpel: Education as Our First Intervention”
Complications relating to prematurity and low birth weight are leading causes of death in newborns and young children. Vulnerable babies require specialized, around-the-clock care to survive and thrive. Investing in special newborn care units, timely referrals, and family support is essential. Access to effective healthcare, life-saving interventions, and warmth through skin-to-skin care can make a notable difference. Strengthening healthcare systems will ensure every baby gets the best start in life, reducing preventable newborn deaths worldwide.
Written by: Professor Zacharoula Sidiropoulou, WHOCC Collaborator
We have highlighted some key messages for public health professionals around the theme of this year’s World Health Day – the critical importance of maternal and newborn health. We want to round up our commentary by celebrating the achievements that public health professionals have made in reducing the number of global maternal deaths by 40% since 2000. Thanks to their efforts in improving access to care more women than ever are surviving pregnancy and childbirth!
We need more champions to propel us towards greater equity. To come up with innovative solutions to funding cuts for aid and advocate for greater investment in maternal and newborn care around the world.
Key insights
- Progress and Challenges: Maternal mortality reduction has slowed to just 0.5% annually. Only 12% of countries have fully financed maternal and newborn health plans, highlighting the urgent need for global commitment.
- Equity in Care: Wealth-related inequalities remain a major barrier. Closing these gaps could save 1.8 million children annually in low- and middle-income countries.
- Lifesaving Interventions: Over 70% of maternal deaths result from preventable complications during or shortly after childbirth. Evidence-based interventions like skilled birth attendance and timely emergency care can save millions of lives.
- Empowering Women and Girls: Education reduces adolescent pregnancy rates, especially in rural areas where risks are highest. Empowering women with knowledge and access to healthcare transforms lives and prevents maternal deaths.
- Investing in Health Systems: Every $1 invested in maternal and newborn health yields $9–$20 in economic benefits, strengthening families, communities and economies.
Call to Action
To achieve #HealthForAll, we must prioritize equitable access to quality care, invest in healthcare systems, and support family-friendly policies. Together, we can eliminate preventable deaths and build a future where every mother and child can thrive.
Thank you to everyone involved in WHOCC Imperial World Health Day 2025 campaign: Zacharoula Sidiropoulou, Sunil Kumar, Ela Augustyniak, Mona Kuroiwa, Emmanuel, Holly Exton-Smith, Ishani Sharma, Rachel Barker …..