Support for new mothers Bangladesh - 21st April 2025

Women who are working as 'Skilled Birth Attendants' are saving pregnant women's lives in Bangladesh. This is particularly important as in 2022 a government report showed 30 percent of women gave birth at home.

The Birth Attendants are given training for several months, after which they're ready to help women at the time they give birth. Importantly, they also assist during the pregnancy period by checking the women. As a result, they direct those mothers with unusual or dangerous pregnancies to hospitals.

Nargis Akhter's been working as a Skilled Birth Attendant for five years.

"We classify pregnant women first whether it's a normal pregnancy or a risky pregnancy. Then, if found risky, we tell them not to try for the delivery at home in any way, rather to go to the developed hospitals at Upazila level or district level. Sometimes, I take them to those hospitals myself."

The World Health Organization says that since the system began 20 years ago, the death rate for babies and pregnant women has improved. It's dropped by around 70 percent for both pregnant mothers and babies, to 123 women and 20 babies per 100,000 births.

Doctor Abdullahel Maruf's feeling positive.

"And per year we are achieving 6 percent less maternal deaths. And if we follow this trend or a bit better, then we can surely achieve SDG [Sustainable Development Goal] in our scheduled time or tentative time by 2030."

The improvement's also because of the government's drive to support women in the countryside. It's recommending women choose to give birth in local health clinics over home births.

After losing her first child, Mafia managed to safely deliver her new baby with the help of Nargis and the local clinics.

"My first delivery was at home, by the midwives. They don't have all the facilities with them. They try their best with whatever they have. My first baby died because of time. If the delivery could have been made on time, maybe she would've survived."