The proportion of births attended by skilled personnel is a key indicator for tracking progress in reducing maternal mortality. Globally, just over half of all deliveries are attended by a skilled birth assistant.

The tragedy of maternal deaths is that most are preventable with proper care. Infections, blood loss, and unsafe abortions account for the majority of deaths. Better health care is the key to reducing these losses. And it requires neither high technology nor expensive drugs. Trained health workers with midwifery skills greatly increase the safety of childbirth. And by providing information about family planning, they help women care for themselves and their children.