Statement of Dr. Leila Saiji Joudane, Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Philippines:

With adequate support from health providers, family and society, giving birth should be a very fulfilling and positive experience for mothers.

Unfortunately, we see on a daily basis a significant number of women who do not get the support that they need. Worse, some do not receive crucial medical assistance, resulting in maternal mortality or death of women while giving birth or during pregnancy.

Globally, every two minutes, a woman dies giving birth. In the Philippines, we noticed an increase of maternal deaths during the past two years: in 2019, 1458 women died of maternal causes; this number increased to 2,478 in 2021 (source: PSA). That is around 6 to 7 Filipino women dying daily due to childbirth. During emergencies, when access to maternal health services is disrupted, more women die during pregnancy and childbirth.

Women die because sexual and reproductive health services are unavailable, inaccessible, unaffordable or of poor quality. Human resources are also scarce. There are not enough trained health care workers that provide quality sexual and reproductive health information and services. For every 1,300 women and girls in reproductive age, there is only one public health midwife. In the Philippines, 14% of pregnant women do not get regular check-ups and the other necessary medical care that they need during their pregnancy. One in 10 women do not give birth in health facilities or receive assistance from skilled healthcare personnel during childbirth.

The top 5 causes of maternal deaths included complications in pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium, eclampsia, pre-eclampsia, and hemorrhage. Many of these deaths are preventable if only there were accessible proper medical interventions and adequate health-care systems that are also resilient to emergencies.

The high cost of health care makes it more inaccessible to poor Filipinos. According to the 2021 National Health Expenditure Survey, Filipinos in rural areas pay more for health care services and medicines compared to those living in urban areas and those with better income.

A UNFPA study conducted with Burnet Institute showed that globally, every dollar invested on family planning services gains $8. But for the Philippines, the gains are even higher at $18. This is on top of the hundreds of thousands of  mothers’ and children’s lives saved.

Preventable maternal mortality, the denial of rights or demographic change can all be addressed by making the world a more gender-equal place.

Of course, this is easier said than done. But gender inequality’s role at the root of so many other issues, including those mentioned above, must be recognized. Gender inequality is what keeps women out of the workforce and schools, vulnerable to conflict and violence, and denies them the right to make decisions about their own bodies and health. And it’s what makes pregnancy a dangerous endeavour, one which hundreds of thousands of women do not survive.

As the sexual and reproductive health agency of the United Nations, we at UNFPA support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Philippines’ commitment to achieving universal health coverage and universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reducing to zero preventable maternal death.

This Mother’s Day, let us uphold the right of all people — especially mothers — to reach the highest possible standard of health. Timely health care for pregnant women can make the difference between life and death. No woman should die giving life. #

About UNFPA

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA globally is promoting commitments to achieving three transformational goals by 2030 - ending preventable maternal deaths, ending unmet need for family planning, and ending gender-based violence and other harmful practices against women and girls including child marriage. UNFPA works with the government, civil society, development partners, other UN agencies, academia, and the private sector to reach those furthest behind first and leave no one behind, especially young people, the poorest, the conflict and disaster-affected, indigenous peoples and people with disabilities.

For more information contact:
kguerrero@unfpa.org 
Kristine Sabillo Guerrero
Media and Communications Analyst
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)