WHO: 2.8 million pregnant women and newborns die globally per year

Every year, 2.8 million pregnant women and newborns die globally, said in a report of World Health Organization (WHO) on child mortality

Women and newborns are most vulnerable during and immediately after childbirth. An estimated 2.8 million pregnant women and newborns die, one every 11 seconds, mainly from preventable causes, the report said.

In 2017, over 290,000 women died from complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

With regard to child mortality, despite the progress made in this area, the threat of the death of the child immediately after birth or in the first years of life remains high. The first months pose the greatest risk, especially if the baby was born prematurely or too young, and also if there were complications during childbirth or infection.

Older children, according to the report, are also at risk. In 2018, 6.2 million children under the age of 15 died in the world, of which about 5.3 million deaths occurred in the first 5 years of a child's life.

At the same time, the WHO noted that since 2000, child mortality has decreased by half, and maternal mortality - by a third.