Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nearly two-thirds of maternal deaths worldwide now occur in fragile and conflict-affected countries, underscoring how instability sharply increases the risks of pregnancy and childbirth.
A new analysis released by the World Health Organization and partners on Tuesday shows women in conflict-affected settings are around five times more likely to die from maternal causes than those in stable countries.
The technical brief aligns maternal mortality data from 2000 to 2023 with countries classified as conflict-affected or institutionally fragile. It reveals that in 2023 alone, an estimated 160,000 women died from preventable maternal causes in such settings—accounting for six in ten global maternal deaths, despite representing only about one in ten live births.
Conflict-affected countries record 504 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with 368 in institutionally fragile states and 99 in more stable nations.
“This analysis confirms what health workers see on the ground,” the brief states. “Crises create conditions where health systems cannot consistently deliver lifesaving maternal care.”
Risks rise further where gender, age, ethnicity and migration status intersect, with adolescents facing particularly severe danger. A 15-year-old girl in a conflict-affected country in 2023 has a one-in-51 lifetime risk of dying from maternal causes, compared with one in 593 in stable countries.
Case studies from Colombia, Ethiopia, Haiti, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea and Ukraine show progress is possible through mobile clinics, trained birth attendants and affordable emergency obstetric care.
WHO and partners say the findings strengthen the case for urgent investment in primary healthcare, resilient health systems and better data collection in hard-to-reach settings.
About the Author
Korede Abdullah 