Nepal

Motherhood in Nepal remains a high-risk enterprise even in the 21st century. One of the poorest nations in the world, Nepal has a total population of 27.1 million. Situated along the Himalaya Mountains between India and Tibet, the nation has few roads and people often walk for days to access the limited health care facilities.

The estimated maternal mortality rate (MMR) in 2005, according to World Health Organization, was 830 deaths per 100,000 live births (for comparison, Canada's is 7 per 100,000). In real terms, this means that every two hours one woman dies from childbirth or pregnancy-related complications in Nepal. Maternal child health programs implemented through joint government and nongovernment organizational initiatives have led to a dramatic drop in the MMR between 1996 and 2006. ...