Basic emergency obstetric and newborn care (BEmONC)

Abstract

The Safe Motherhood Initiative, launched in 1987, has greatly increased the attention given to the problem of maternal morbidity and has helped to improve care for pregnant women. At the same time, child survival programs have helped reduce overall infant mortality, including mortality during the newborn period. Despite these efforts, however, maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity, and stillbirth rates have remained high. Maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality in Africa remains at an unacceptably tragic level. A woman in Africa has a 1 in 16 risk of dying due to complications of pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum. Globally, it is estimated that 34 out of every 1000 newborns will die before it reaches one month of life.