Protecting against health hazards of motherhood

Healthy mothers are children's first line of defense against death, malnutrition and a cycle of poverty and disease. Newborns, born premature and/or with low birth weight and micronutrient deficiencies, reflect their mothers' poor nutritional status. Women's health and nutritional status also affects their ability to nourish and nurture their children as they grow.

1. Child survival initiatives must begin long before a child is born by addressing women's poor health, economic and social status.

1. Strengthening comprehensive health care for women
2. Reducing child mortality
3. Protecting against hazards to human health
4. Assuring family health care

1. Supplying family planning services
2. Providing mother/child care
3. Promoting safe motherhood
4. Ensuring women's access to health care and family planning services

1. Informing about womens health hazards
2. Increasing awareness of link between status of women and demographic dynamics
3. Correcting nutritional deficiencies
4. Affirming motherhood

1. Unhealthiness
2. Motherhood
3. Health
4. Hazard