Saving the lives of mothers,babies, and children

A world where no mother or child dies a preventable death

No parent should ever have to bury their child, and no child should lose their mother to a preventable cause. Today, child deaths are on the rise for the first time this century and progress toward ending maternal deaths has stalled. But there’s still hope, because we already have incredible tools and innovations available that can save lives—with more on the way.

Why saving the lives of mothers, babies, and children matters:

Every seven seconds, a woman or her newborn child dies from complications arising from pregnancy and childbirth.
Today, child deaths are on the rise for the first time this century and progress toward ending maternal deaths has stalled.

Our goal is to help more children live beyond their fifth birthdays and prevent the devastating loss of mothers and children from preventable causes.

How we work with partners to save the lives of mothers and babies

Maternal, Newborn, Child Nutrition & Health

More than 800 women and 7,000 babies die each day from preventable pregnancy and childbirth complications. We work to ensure women and newborns in low- and middle-income countries survive and remain healthy before, during, and after childbirth.

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Women’s Health Innovations

We are committed to developing new tools that support women’s health at every stage of life.

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Family Planning

We work to ensure women and girls in low- and middle-income countries can take charge of their own reproductive health, make informed decisions about family planning, and have access to contraceptive options that meet their needs.

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Nutrition

More than 1 billion women and children do not have access to the nutrition and healthy diets they need to survive and thrive. We work to ensure all women and children have access to proven interventions—from breastfeeding to fortified pantry staples.

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Immunization

Vaccines are one of the world’s most cost-effective health tools, saving 3.5 to 5 million lives each year. We support the delivery of lifesaving vaccines to places with some of the highest rates of unimmunized children.

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Stories and insights from the field

Feature Story

How does a mother’s touch lead to a scientific breakthrough?

Learn how immediate kangaroo mother care could save 150,000 premature babies annually. New WHO guidelines recommend this life-saving technique for all preterm infants.

Feature Story

The hidden journey of a vaccine

This explainer shows the complete lifecycle of vaccine development—from research and testing to manufacturing and delivery.

Article

The TB epidemic at a turning point

As TB overtakes COVID as the deadliest global disease, this article explores how key lessons can inform new TB vaccine development led by scientific leaders in Africa.