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A landmark study published in The Lancet Global Health reveals that the 41% global decline in maternal deaths between 2000 and 2023 stems largely from advances in maternity care and expanded access to contraception. Researchers found that improved maternity services accounted for 61.2% of the reduction, while fertility decline and family planning contributed 38.8%.
What Happened
The paper, titled “Effect of maternity care improvement, fertility decline, and contraceptive use on global maternal mortality reduction between 2000–2023,” analysed data from 195 countries to determine how different factors shaped progress in maternal health.
Researchers estimated that improved maternity care and expanded family planning together prevented hundreds of thousands of maternal deaths over two decades. Notably, contraceptive use alone averted 77,400 maternal deaths in 2023, underscoring its critical role in preventing complications linked to unplanned or closely spaced pregnancies.
“Access to contraception and quality maternity care are not just health interventions — they are fundamental to saving lives and advancing gender equality,” said Pascale Allotey, Director of WHO’s Department of Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Child, Adolescent Health and Ageing (LHR).
Official Response
Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) have called on governments and health agencies to maintain and increase investments in reproductive health and maternity care. They stressed that continued progress toward the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.1, which aims to reduce global maternal mortality to below 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030, will depend on integrating family planning into all maternal health systems.
“We must ensure that every woman, everywhere, has the means to plan her family and access the care she needs for a safe pregnancy and childbirth,” Allotey added.
The findings, WHO says, provide policymakers with vital evidence to strengthen reproductive health programmes, especially in low-income countries where contraceptive use remains low and maternal mortality rates remain high.
Community Impact
The research highlights that empowering women with reproductive choices saves lives and enhances gender equality. By spacing pregnancies and reducing unsafe abortions, contraception directly contributes to lower maternal deaths and healthier families.
Health experts say these results should motivate renewed global investment in women’s health services, particularly in areas where access to family planning and safe childbirth facilities remains limited.
“This study proves that reproductive rights and survival are inseparable,” said a global health advocate. “Every nation should treat family planning as essential healthcare, not a luxury.”
