Coverage on Maternal and Infant Health in Haiti

January 29, 2010 -- Recent coverage on earthquake-devastated Haiti has highlighted maternal and infant health and the important work UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund is doing in the country to assist the thousands of women and their infants at risk from complications related to pregnancy and child birth.

CNN reported last night on the challenges facing newborns in Haiti following the earthquake. To view the video, Babies’ Survival Unsure, with reporting from Dr. Sanjay Gupta, click here.

NOW on PBS will air a documentary on maternal health in Haiti tonight.

When the earthquake struck on January 12, a NOW crew was in Haiti, working on a story about maternal health and women dying in childbirth, an ongoing emergency in the country. Haiti has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, and the highest in the Western Hemisphere.

The devastating earthquake has exacerbated existing problems surrounding maternal mortality, including lack of access to quality health care. Approximately 63,000 women in Port-au-Prince are pregnant, 7,000 of whom will deliver in the coming month, according to UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. Additionally, 15% of all pregnant women will also require care for life threatening pregnancy complications.

The documentary features UNFPA and Family Care International, among others, who outline the positive work that was happening in Haiti prior to the earthquake and must continue, as it is needed now more than ever.

The documentary is scheduled to air Friday evening, January 29. For air times, please visit, http://www.pbs.org/now/sched.html. The documentary will be available online on Friday evening.

past features