How can maternal and neonatal mortalities be reduced?

The reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality has been globally recognised as one of the World Health Organization's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), set in the year 2000. By improving maternal health and nutrition during pregnancy through effective antenatal care, ensuring safe and clean delivery, and providing immediate postnatal care, it is estimated we could prevent about 75% of neonatal deaths, more than 50% of deaths in the first year of life, and 99% of maternal deaths. These improvements can be achieved by effective community level interventions, which include effective communication and health education about antenatal care, the early detection and management of health problems during pregnancy, and about care during labour, delivery and the postnatal period, and the management of newborn and childhood illness.