Today, women’s health is shaped by a range of overlapping challenges – from conflict and poverty to climate change and systemic inequality. While there have been important strides, such as a global decline in maternal mortality, many women continue to face serious health risks, particularly in crisis-affected and resource-limited areas. From maternal care to menstrual hygiene, mental health, and the growing impact of climate change, the following sections offer insight into some of the most pressing issues currently affecting women’s health around the world.
In the most recent report on the subject, the World Health Organization reported that the maternal mortality rate is on a steady decline across the globe. This progress is attributable to improved access to medical care, advancements in medicine and technology, and skilled healthcare professionals. However, in areas where expecting mothers are at an increased risk of infection, experience high levels of stress, and lack access to essential medications, the risk of death increases. Likewise, in the United States, maternal mortality is actually on the rise.
And even when pregnancy is met with care from the first trimester to delivery, many women report insufficient access to follow-up care post childbirth. For women who live in areas that are subject to ongoing conflict such as those in South Sudan, where childbirth is the leading cause of death for women, or Gaza, where there’s a reported surge in miscarriages, they face a heightened risk of poor maternal health throughout the entire process.
