#20 | WHO: Conflict and Instability Make Pregnancy More Dangerous

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal, we examine a World Health Organization analysis highlighting how conflict, fragility and instability significantly increase the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth.The new WHO technical brief links maternal mortality to the stability of national health systems, showing that women living in fragile or conflict-affected countries face dramatically higher risks during pregnancy. According to the analysis, nearly two-thirds of all maternal deaths worldwide occur in countries affected by conflict or institutional fragility, even though these countries account for only about one-tenth of global births. In 2023 alone, an estimated 160,000 women died from preventable maternal causes in fragile and conflict-affected settings, representing about six out of ten maternal deaths globally. The WHO also reports that the risk of dying from maternal causes during pregnancy is approximately five times higher for women living in conflict-affected countries compared with those in stable settings. The episode explores several key public health issues raised in the analysis:• How armed conflict weakens maternal health systems• Disruptions in access to prenatal and emergency obstetric care• The impact of displacement and humanitarian crises on pregnant women• Health workforce shortages and damaged health infrastructure• The need for stronger maternal health services in fragile settingsThe WHO emphasizes that protecting maternal health in conflict and humanitarian settings requires strengthening health systems, ensuring access to skilled birth attendants and integrating maternal care into emergency health responses.Original WHO source discussed in this episode:https://www.who.int/news/item/17-02-2026-conflict-and-instability-make-pregnancy-more-dangerousThe GMJ Podcast accompanies peer-reviewed publications and global health policy discussions published in the Georgian Medical Journal.Journal website:https://gmj.ge/index.php/pub/index#გიორგიფხაკაძე #drpkhakadze #sheniekimi