The future of child health: Innovating to make childbirth safer for all
A newborn baby gasps its first breath and begins to cry. This is good, a vital reaction that shows the baby can breathe on its own, and a welcome sound few parents forget. There is nothing like holding a newborn, and it comes with a tangible sense of fragility: Pregnancy and labor put extraordinary pressures on the bodies of mother and child that bring significant risks to both. Nearly half of deaths in children under five happen within 28 days of birth, and globally an estimated 260,000 women died from maternal cause in 2023.Illustrated by Tayla De BeerWhile the numbers are staggering, the reality is that most of these deaths are preventable. For example, the four most common causes of maternal mortality are hemorrhage, high blood pressure, infections, and complications from delivery. There are effective...
