A series of low-cost measures to make childbirth safer could save the lives of 2mn more mothers and babies around the world by 2030, said a leading philanthropic organisation.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on Tuesday said since 2016 progress in reducing global maternal mortality had stalled, partly because of disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In some countries, including the US and Venezuela, maternal death rates had risen in recent years.

With nearly 800 women dying in childbirth every day, the foundation called for “immediate action” to meet the UN’s sustainable development goal of cutting the maternal mortality rate to less than 70 out of 100,000 births, and newborn mortality to at least as low as 12 deaths per 1,000 births, by 2030. The current projection is for 138 maternal deaths per 100,000 births by that date, or almost double the target, it said.