A new report from the United Nations has raised alarm over the significant threat posed to maternal health globally due to sharp reductions in foreign aid. According to the report released on April 6, 2025, aid cuts risk reversing decades of progress that saw a 40% drop in maternal deaths between 2000 and 2023.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other UN agencies contributing to the report noted that improved access to essential health services was a major factor in reducing maternal mortality. However, the growing trend of donor countries cutting health-related aid is now leading to the closure of healthcare facilities, layoffs of medical staff, and interruptions in the supply of life-saving medical supplies such as medicines for hemorrhage and pre-eclampsia.

Dr. Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director-General for Universal Health Coverage at WHO, warned that these cuts could have “pandemic-like effects” on health systems, particularly in vulnerable and low-income countries. He stressed the urgent need to sustain investment in maternal and reproductive health to prevent avoidable deaths.

The impact of these cuts is already evident in several crisis-hit countries. In Afghanistan, the suspension of U.S. development assistance—including sexual and reproductive health services—is projected to lead to over 1,000 additional maternal deaths between 2025 and 2028. The funding halt affects more than 9 million people in Afghanistan and over 1.2 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan. With the disruption of family planning services, a sharp rise in unintended pregnancies and preventable deaths is expected.

In the United States, the government’s recent decision to freeze $27.5 million in family planning grants to Planned Parenthood is likely to affect essential services for low-income communities. This funding freeze impacts more than 300 health centers that provided over 1.5 million patient visits in 2023. Experts warn that this could lead to an increase in undiagnosed cancers and sexually transmitted infections.

The UN report also sheds light on the disproportionate burden faced by women in conflict zones and fragile states. Nearly two-thirds of global maternal deaths now occur in such settings. A 15-year-old girl in one of these countries faces a 1 in 51 chance of dying from maternal causes in her lifetime, compared to a 1 in 593 chance in more stable countries.

The report includes the first global assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal health. It estimates that 40,000 additional maternal deaths occurred in 2021 due to both direct complications from the virus and widespread disruptions in maternity services.

UN agencies emphasize that the world is currently off track to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target for maternal survival by 2030. Achieving this target would require a dramatic annual reduction in maternal deaths—about 15% per year—compared to the current rate of decline of just 1.5%.

The report concludes with an urgent call to governments, donors, and international partners to restore and increase funding for maternal health. Without immediate action, millions of women could lose access to basic care during pregnancy and childbirth, leading to an increase in preventable deaths that could have been averted with timely support.