The Issue

Maternal, Newborn and Child Health

MNCH (Maternal, Newborn and Child Health) is one of the most common acronyms used in discussions on global health. In Canada, we have access to health care and nutrition that ensure that MNCH deficiencies are the exception rather than the norm. In other parts of the world however, MNCH is of major concern as maternal and child mortality rates are unacceptably high.

Women die everyday from pregnancy and childbirth causes.

Million people do not have access to essential health services.

Children under age five die everyday from largely preventable causes.

Did you know?

In 2015, 303,000 women died of causes related to pregnancy or childbirth, and there were 5.9 million deaths of children under age five
99% of maternal deaths occur in developing countries.
The highest maternal, neonatal and children under five mortality rates are in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia.
In 2015, the maternal mortality ratio in developing countries was 235 per 100,000 live births, while the ratio was 12 per 100,000 live births in developed nations.
In 2015, the under-five mortality rate in low-income countries was 76 deaths per 1000 live births.

Maternal and Child Health Issues

Improving Maternal and child health is an important goal of the EMBRACE project. There are many factors that can affect pregnancy and can cause health risks or future health risks in women, and their children. To learn more about what these health risks include click here.

So what is Canada doing about this?

Over the years, Canada has:

Spearheaded a number of MNCH initiatives
Contributed more than $3 billion (with a further pledge of an additional $3.5 billion between 2015 and 2020) to MNC
Been recognized around the world as a global leader for improving MNCH

Maternal, Newborn and Child Health

What is EMBRACE?

We’re so glad you asked! You can learn all about it here.