Every pregnancy, anywhere in the world, faces risk. An estimated 15 per cent of all pregnant women develop life-threatening complications. 

Globally, for every two people who die in traffic accidents, one mother and 20 children die from preventable and treatable causes (WHO, 2004).

Every minute, 20 children under five die. That means nearly 30, 000 children die every day. 10.6 million children die each year (Black, Morris & Bryce, 2003). Of these 3.1 million are from South East Asia. 

Up to a third of maternal mortality and morbidity could be avoided if women had access to information and a full range of modern, safe and effective fertility control methods. 

For every three deaths of women in their reproductive years in developing countries, one is the result of complications from pregnancy and childbirth. In India, 15 per cent of deaths of women in the reproductive age are maternal deaths.

Worldwide, unsafe abortions contribute to nearly 15 per cent of all maternal deaths. In India, nearly seven million abortions take place annually. Post abortion care is essential to safe motherhood. (Information kit, World Health Day ’98, WHO).

Not enough mothers and children receive existing and affordable life-saving care. Globally, just 61 per cent of births are assisted by a skilled attendant, while in some low income countries the average is as low as 34 per cent (WHO, 2004). 

HIV/AIDS presents an ever-increasing threat to both mothers and their children. Women currently account for nearly half of all adults living with HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS, 2004). This not only compromises the health of women, but it also increases the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.