Maternal and child health refers to the health of women and children during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal period.
WHO latest data show that «although important progress has been made in the last two decades, about 287 000 women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth in 2020». Also, according to what reported by the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) «newborn, or neonatal, deaths account for 40% of all deaths among children under five»
But most maternal deaths are preventable with timely management by a skilled health workers. Improvements in maternal and child (MCH) are a major focus of the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs 4, 5, and 6).