WHO Highlights Maternal and Newborn Health Globally

World Health Organization Puts Global Spotlight on Maternal and Newborn Health

The year-long campaign kicks off this month, focusing on support for healthy pregnancies, births, and better postnatal care. The PAINWeek conference weighs in on the subject in September.

“Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures” is the theme for the World Health Organization’s signature action for 2025. Launched on World Health Day, April 7, the effort will include working with governments, donors, and the health community to invest in proven, high-impact interventions to improve maternal and newborn health and survival. 

“The focus of this campaign comes at a crucial moment, aiming to help countries regain lost progress while showcasing new research and evidence that will enhance the health of mothers and infants globally,” says WHO’s Director of Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Ageing, Dr. Anshu Banerjee. “As rollbacks to humanitarian assistance jeopardize a critical lifeline for millions, it will also be an opportunity to step up support and collaboration for global health — and deliver hope to those in urgent need of lifesaving care.” 

Since 1948, WHO has used World Health Day, created as part of the first World Health Assembly, as the starting point for its annual mobilizations. It directs its resources to raising global awareness and driving responses, working on everything from polio eradication and antimicrobial resistance to road safety and depression. 

2025 Campaign Goals

The facts behind this push for maternal and infant care are stark. According to WHO, nearly 300,000 women die annually due to pregnancy and childbirth, more than 2 million babies don’t make it past their first month of life, while another 2 million are stillborn. The organization calculates this adds up to one preventable death every seven seconds. And current trends are not encouraging, with four out of five countries off track to meet the United Nations’ global targets for improving maternal survival within the next five years. One out of three countries will fall short of targets aimed at reducing deaths of newborns. 

To take on the challenge, WHO has set the following goals:

• To raise awareness about gaps in maternal and newborn survival and the need to prioritize women’s long-term well-being.

  • Raising awareness about the importance of pain management is crucial in addressing gaps in maternal survival and long-term well-being. Effective pain management during childbirth and the postnatal period is vital for ensuring that mothers experience not only physical relief but also emotional well-being. Failure to address pain adequately can lead to negative long-term effects, such as chronic pain, mental health challenges, or delayed recovery, all of which can diminish a woman’s quality of life. Raising awareness about these issues can help prioritize the importance of proper pain management, ensuring that mothers receive the necessary care for a healthier future.

• To advocate for effective investments that improve the health of mothers and infants.

  • Investing in effective pain management techniques is an essential component of improving maternal health. Effective pain management can prevent complications, reduce stress, and speed up recovery times for mothers, thereby indirectly benefiting infant health by enabling mothers to provide better care. Investments in education and training for healthcare providers in managing pain during childbirth and the postnatal period can reduce the risk of postpartum depression and other mental health issues, which are crucial for the overall health of both mother and child.

• To encourage collective action to support parents as well as healthcare professionals who provide critical care.

  • Collective action includes supporting healthcare professionals in delivering quality pain management. Highlighting the importance of education and resources for healthcare providers in offering evidence-based pain management is essential. Collective efforts to create a well-educated healthcare workforce that is skilled in addressing both physical and emotional pain during childbirth and the postpartum period are key to providing high-quality care for mothers. Additionally, encouraging healthcare systems to prioritize pain management ensures that both parents and healthcare professionals are equipped to handle the complexities of maternal care.

• To provide useful health information relating to pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period.
  • Providing accurate and accessible information about pain management during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period is critical for informed decision-making. Comprehensive insights into pain management techniques, such as pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions, can be vital for expecting mothers. This information helps women make informed choices about pain relief during labor and recovery, while also promoting better overall care. Providing this health information encourages women to advocate for their own health and pain management needs, ensuring that their experience of childbirth and recovery is as comfortable and safe as possible.

“A more holistic approach to maternal health has been proven to give women the best chance of a healthy pregnancy and birth, and of enjoying lasting quality of life after delivery,” says the author of a new analysis on maternal death, WHO scientist Dr. Jenny Cresswell. “Health systems need to be able to support them across different life stages.” By incorporating pain management strategies and knowledge into these WHO goals, it becomes possible to improve both the physical and emotional health of mothers, which has long-lasting benefits for families and communities.

Pain in Pregnancy

The country’s premier pain conference, PAINWeek, which takes place Sept. 2–5 in Las Vegas, continues the conversation with its Pain in Pregnancy session on Sept. 3. Presented by Stanford Health Care’s Theresa Mallick-Searle, MS, PMGT-BC, ANP-BC, FAANP, a practitioner with nearly 30 years of experience, the lecture will explore the effects of unmanaged pain on pregnant females, as well as fetuses.

“I would like to see more education available to clinicians about the need for effective pain management options during pregnancy, more focus on counseling women with chronic pain about their options, and optimization of their pain conditions early on,” said Mallick-Searle in a PAINWeek Daily Dose Spotlight interview. “I would like to see more collaboration within the interdisciplines that manage patients with pain and pregnancy, including primary care, obstetrics, pain management, nursing, physical therapy, psychology, and pharmacy.”

Mallick-Searle will address the challenges of treating pain in pregnancy — including concerns about prescribing opioids during pregnancy — and identify three effective treatment strategies for pain.

“Women do not need to unnecessarily suffer for the sake of a healthy pregnancy,” she said. “When a woman is supported physically, psychologically, and spiritually during her pregnancy the best possible outcomes will ensue.”

Click here to view the full PAINWeek 2025 Agenda