New data from the UN’s reproductive health agency (UNFPA) reveals a sharp rise in maternal health risks in Ukraine, now approaching its fourth year of conflict following Russia’s full-scale invasion. Florence Bauer, UNFPA’s regional director, highlighted a significant deterioration in maternal health, particularly in Kherson, a city on the Dnipro River facing near-daily shelling from Russian-held positions. Although Ukrainian forces recaptured Kherson in late 2022, civilian sites, including hospitals, are frequently targeted, forcing essential services such as maternity wards to operate underground.
Bauer emphasized that safe childbirth must be protected under international humanitarian law, which stipulates that health facilities, workers, and humanitarian access must never be targeted. Since 2022, more than 80 maternity and neonatal facilities have been damaged or destroyed, part of the 2,763 healthcare sites hit nationwide. During a recent attack, all personnel and patients in a UNFPA-supported bunker were unharmed, and a baby girl was safely delivered, underscoring the ongoing risks to maternal care in conflict zones.
UNFPA’s analysis of 2023–2024 data shows that, despite a decline in births, a higher proportion of pregnancies are affected by severe medical complications. Uterine ruptures, a life-threatening emergency, have increased by over 44 percent, while hypertensive disorders rose by 12 percent. Caesarean section rates remain high, particularly in Kherson at 46 percent, exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended maximum of 15 percent, which raises additional risks for mothers and babies.
With power outages, medical supply shortages, and damaged equipment becoming routine, humanitarian aid is often the only means of saving lives. UNFPA provides mobile incubators, sterile neonatal equipment, and essential medicines for premature infants, while also supporting the construction of underground, bomb-proof maternity wards. The special units in Kherson and Kharkiv are the first of their kind in Ukraine, ensuring women can give birth safely under bombardment. UNFPA is calling for $52 million to maintain maternal health and protection services throughout the coming year.
