Merck for Mothers: Helping End Maternal Mortality A decade of strategic partnerships, private sector innovation and data-driven impact to help create a world where no woman has to die while giving life

Giving birth can be one of the most beautiful and joyous experiences in a woman’s life, but for many — too many — it can be a scary and tragic event.

Maternal mortality worldwide is too high. Approximately 295,000 women died during and following childbirth in 2017. Most of these deaths (94%) occurred in locations where women have few resources. But no matter what corner of the globe you live in, most of these deaths could have been prevented.

If we don’t do more, mothers, daughters and granddaughters will continue to lose their lives. And their loss will impact many.

The birth of Merck for Mothers

In 2011, in response to this crisis, our company created Merck for Mothers, a $500 million global initiative to help create a world where no woman has to die while giving life.

“By helping address one of the oldest and most preventable global health tragedies, we believe Merck for Mothers will have an important impact on society,” said Ken Frazier, Merck’s chairman and then-CEO, as he introduced this new program at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

Merck for Mothers began its mission by joining the UN and collaborators around the globe to apply its scientific and business expertise to help save women’s lives, aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 3.1 to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 births by 2030. Achieving this goal would save the lives of approximately 1.4 million women between 2016 and 2030.

A sustainable model to make a difference for generations

Focused on advancing high-quality maternity care, harnessing innovations for maternal health and catalyzing solutions that respond to local needs, Merck for Mothers aims to make a difference for women and their communities now and in the future.

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