Problem

Each year, more than 500,000 women die trying to bring life into the world, and millions more become disabled because they did not receive the proper care during pregnancy and childbirth. Almost all of these women live in the world's poorest countries, and nearly half receive no medical care whatsoever during their pregnancy. A quarter of the world's women give birth alone in unsanitary conditions far from hospitals.

The Gift

Where there are no hospitals, women traditionally turn to local birth attendants and midwives to help them through labor and delivery. With the proper training and equipment, midwives can handle all but the most complicated pregancies. IMC is building the capacity of local women to provide prenatal and postnatal care, in addition to supplying them with delivery kits that contain sterilized equipment. Your gift can help give a birth attendant the knowledge and tools she needs to help prevent death during pregnancy and labor. She, in turn, can educate her peers about reproductive health.