Overview
- UN data released this week show maternal mortality rose from 18.9 to 25.9 per 100,000 live births between 2023 and 2024.
- Severe pregnancy complications increased, with uterine ruptures up 44% and hypertensive disorders up 12%.
- A December 4 strike damaged an UNFPA-supported maternity hospital in Kherson, where patients sheltered in a bunker and a baby was delivered safely with no injuries reported.
- Since 2022, more than 80 maternity and neonatal facilities and over 2,760 healthcare sites have been damaged or destroyed across Ukraine.
- Caesarean rates in frontline regions rank among Europe’s highest, reaching 46% in Kherson, and UNFPA is seeking $52 million to keep maternal health services running.