Strengthening the health of mothers to improve the lives of families

When a mother dies—either from complications during pregnancy or childbirth or due to other causes—no one suffers more than her children. PATH is working to fulfill Millennium Development Goal 5 and ensure that mothers survive to help their families grow up strong.

Cervical cancer prevention

Nearly a quarter million women die from cervical cancer each year, the great majority of them in developing countries. Unlike most other types of cancer, however, the disease is preventable when precursors to it are detected and treated. Learn about our work in protecting women from cervical cancer:

• Equal protection from cervical cancer
• Vilma’s story: fighting an illness that shouldn’t exist
• Jenny’s story: how can I have this disease?
• START-UP cervical cancer screening

Family planning

It’s estimated that almost one in three maternal deaths could be avoided by delaying motherhood, spacing births, preventing unintended pregnancy, and avoiding unsafely performed abortions. Learn about our work in family planning:

• What women need to know
• Critical provisions
• Improving the health of young people

Related health technologies:

• Contraception in Uniject®
• SILCS diaphragm
• Woman’s condom

Safe birth

PATH is working to make sure mothers have a healthy environment in which to give birth, early medical attention, and access to health technologies and interventions to make having a baby as safe as possible. Learn about our work in making childbirth safe:

• Safe birth, healthy newborns
• Health Technologies to Save Mother’s Lives

Related health technologies:

• Nonpneumatic antishock garment
• Oxytocin in Uniject®

Photo: PATH/Mike Wang.