Nov 30, 2011
New survey shows significant improvement in maternal and child health - challenges remain

Kabul, Afghanistan
Many more Afghan women are receiving skilled care today during pregnancy and delivery than a decade ago, and more women and children are surviving today than ever before as a result of greater access to health facilities and better care according to the Afghanistan Mortality Survey (AMS) 2010. Despite the challenging situation implementing this survey, the AMS 2010, released today, represents some 87 percent of the population and provides needed data on the current state of healthcare in Afghanistan, confirming the remarkable achievements made in the health sector over the past decade. Read more

Oct 24, 2011
Fewer maternal and child deaths in Cambodia

Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Both childhood and maternal mortality have decreased in recent years according to the just-released 2010 Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey (CDHS). The under-five mortality rate has dropped from 124 in 2000 to only 54 in 2010. This means that currently, about one in 20 children dies before the age of 5 in Cambodia. In 2000, approximately one in every eight children died before age 5. Maternal mortality has also dropped, from a rate of 472 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2005 to 206 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2010.

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Oct 05, 2011
New study finds dramatic increases in family planning use but HIV prevalence has remained essentially unchanged

Lilongwe, Malawi
Forty-two percent of currently married women in Malawiare using a modern method of family planning, according to the 2010 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) which was officially launched on 6th October 2011at Capital Hotel in Lilongwe by Hon Dr. Ken Lipenga, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning.

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Sep 27, 2011
Effective contraception key to reducing induced abortions and unintended births

Calverton, Maryland, USA
About one-third of unintended births and one-half of all induced abortions in developing countries could be prevented if women switched to more effective contraceptive methods, according to a new analytical study published by ICF Macro. Analyses of reproductive histories among women in 20 low- and middle-income countries included in the new study show that contraceptive failure and unintended pregnancies and births are very common among family planning users. 

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Sep 15, 2011
MEASURE DHS releases new website and STATcompiler

Calverton, Maryland, USA
The new MEASURE DHS website (www.measuredhs.com) and STATcompiler (www.statcompiler.com) were launched today, introducing the global community to new ways of visualizing Demographic and Health Surveys data. New features of the website include an interactive map of countries and surveys, an enhanced publications library, and more information on survey methodology. The new, more user-friendly STATcompiler features customized tables, as well as charts, maps, and scatter plots.

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