Nearly two-thirds of all maternal deaths worldwide occur in countries affected by conflict or fragility, according to a new report released on Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners.
The technical brief was produced by WHO alongside an inter-agency group that includes the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Bank.
The report revealed that a woman living in a conflict-affected country faces a risk of dying from maternal causes that is about five times higher per pregnancy compared to her counterparts in more stable nations.
In 2023 alone, an estimated 160,000 women died from preventable maternal causes in fragile and conflict-affected settings, accounting for six in every 10 maternal deaths globally. This is despite such countries accounting for only about one in 10 global live births.
The brief analysed why pregnant women in certain countries are more likely to die during childbirth, confirming that crises often create conditions where health systems cannot consistently provide life-saving maternal care.
It highlighted how factors such as gender, ethnicity, age and migration status can further increase risks for women and girls who are pregnant in fragile contexts.
“The disparity of risk is stark,” the report stated.
It noted that a 15-year-old girl living in a conflict-affected country in 2023 had a one in 51 lifetime risk of dying from a maternal cause. This compares with a one in 79 risk in institutionally and socially fragile countries, and one in 593 in relatively stable countries.
According to the report, countries classified as conflict-affected recorded an estimated maternal mortality ratio of 504 deaths per 100,000 live births. Institutionally and socially fragile countries had a ratio of 368, while countries outside both categories recorded a significantly lower ratio of 99.
The findings build on last year’s maternal mortality estimates covering 2000 to 2023, which showed that global progress has stalled and maternal mortality remains alarmingly high in low-income and crisis-affected settings.
The publication also presented case studies demonstrating how frontline teams are working to sustain maternal health services amid instability. It noted that communities are adapting services to cultural needs, health workers are restoring disrupted services, hospitals are reorganising care under security threats, and coordination mechanisms are evolving to ensure continuity of care.