Since 1998, the Maternal Mortality Update,
a biannual publication of UNFPA, has documented strategies, partnerships
and projects for reducing maternal mortality and morbidity in the developing
world. This year's update focuses on the importance of skilled attendance
at birth for improving maternal health, which is one of the eight Millennium
Development Goals. It was published in collaboration with the Skilled Attendance
For Everyone (SAFE) research study and the Initiative for Maternal Mortality
Programme Assessment (IMMPACT), Dugald Baird Centre for Research on Women?s
Health, University of Aberdeen. This report summarizes recent trends in
maternal mortality, examines the importance of medically trained attendants
who have emergency backup, and offers approaches for improving the level
of care women receive during childbirth. A companion booklet,
Into Good Hands: Progress Reports from the Field,
provides examples of policies, research and activities aimed at improving
skilled attendance.
This update is also available in Spanish
and French. Please visit: <a href="http://www.unfpa.org/publications/detail.cfm?ID"2&filterListType=">http://www.unfpa.org/publications/detail.cfm?ID"2&filterListType=