Maternal Health Around the World The term maternal health refers to women’s health throughout the stages of pregnancy and childbirth as well as during the postnatal period. Maternal health has a direct impact on both the mother and child. Every day, approximately 810 women die from causes related to preventable childbirth and pregnancy. Providing good quality maternity care in order to prevent these includes supporting the nutrition of mother and baby, treating diseases, supporting women who are exposed to intimate partner violence, and providing universal access to sexual and reproductive care. Image Credit: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com Inequality within maternal health exists across the world, with mortality rates of women during and after pregnancy being significantly higher for certain groups and places. Statistics from the World Health Organization show that 94% of the total maternal deaths across the world happen in low and lower-middle-income countries. Preventable maternal death is a global problem that needs to be solved by providing all women with access to good quality maternity care.