Women are the backbone of our society—as mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts and friends, women are confidants, caregivers and cheerleaders for loved ones in their lives. When she is healthy, she is empowered, she is resilient, and she prospers, positively impacting her family, community and economy for generations to come. But who is pioneering better maternal health the same way women pioneer the health of their families?

Organon, a company with a mission to help improve the health of women throughout their lives, knows that mothers, in particular, must be granted the same focus and attention that they provide to their children. According to the United Nations, approximately every two minutes, a woman dies from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth around the globe.¹ We have seen headlines around the state of maternal health around the world and know poor maternal health outcomes can have disastrous social and economic effects on women, their families, and surrounding communities.² The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states that as many as 40% of mothers skip their postpartum doctor visit and are more likely to attend neonatal well-child visits during the postpartum period.^3,4

Studies show postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal deaths worldwide.⁵ Complications for women who survive experiencing conditions like PPH can span beyond the birth experience. It can also impact bonding between mother and baby, in part due to postpartum depressive symptoms.⁶

Organon continues to be committed to finding solutions to these issues by understanding the following diseases and conditions.

We look to address them through education and potential treatments and technological advancement to pioneer better maternal health around the world:

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH)

• It is estimated about 14 million women experience PPH globally every year. This causes 70,000 deaths a year, 90% of which are in low-and lower middle-income countries – equivalent to 1 death every 6 minutes. Despite established interventions to prevent and treat PPH, it remains the leading individual cause of maternal death.⁵
• The global community has been focused on eliminating preventable deaths from this condition. Organon has been pioneering better maternal health at the forefront of new innovation when it comes to timely management of PPH, while also working with key stakeholders and the World Health Organization (WHO) to tackle this issue through research, advocacy and progress with the first global coalition focused on PPH.

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is one of the most common documented complications of pregnancy, with a prevalence of approximately 2 to 8% of all pregnancies. Like gestational diabetes and high blood pressure, preeclampsia greatly increases a woman’s risk for developing cardiovascular disease later in life. Among the hypertensive disorders that complicate pregnancy, preeclampsia is a significant cause of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity, which could be avoided through the provision of timely and effective care.⁷ 

Preterm labor

Preterm labor — labor that starts before 37 weeks of pregnancy — can lead to preterm birth, a leading cause of death globally among children under five. Preterm labor may occur without warning, and some are due to medical reasons like infections or other pregnancy complications. According to research, three-quarters of the deaths caused by preterm birth complications could be prevented with current, cost-effective interventions.⁸

Organon’s commitment to mothers and pioneering better maternal health

In collaboration with stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem, Organon is working to fill critical gaps in care including addressing maternal and peripartum conditions impacting mothers:

• Working across the healthcare continuum with healthcare professionals, health authorities, policymakers and through private-public partnerships to address innovation and access challenges, and advocate for better maternal care.

• Investing in innovative medical solutions to support the timely management of conditions such as PPH, helping to improve maternal health outcomes and advance towards our vision of a healthier every day for every woman.

• Advancing science and research to serve women’s unique needs by advocating for improved guidelines and clinical protocols that allow for emerging interventions to advance current standards of postpartum care.

We believe that the life and health of both women and their children should be protected from conditions such as postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), preeclampsia, preterm labor, and the many other risks that mothers-to-be too often face. Every woman should be granted the opportunity to have a healthy pregnancy and childbirth, as these are the cornerstones of gender equity.

Together, we can work towards shifting the status quo and help usher in an era where every woman can access the best possible maternal care.

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1. UNFPA, Maternal Health, May 2022, available: Maternal health (unfpa.org) [Last accessed: Dec 2024]
2. Moran PS, Wuytack F, Turner M, et al. Economic burden of maternal morbidity – A systematic review of cost-of-illness studies. PLoS One. 2020;15(1):e0227377. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0227377
3. McKinney J, Keyser L, Clinton S, Pagliano C. ACOG committee opinion no. 736: optimizing postpartum care. Obstet Gynecol. 2018;132(3):784-785. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000002849
4. Wolf  ER, Hochheimer  CJ, Sabo  RT,  et al.  Gaps in well-child care attendance among primary care clinics serving low-income families.   Pediatrics. 2018;142(5):e20174019. doi:10.1542/peds.2017-4019
5. Say, L. et al. (2014). Lancet Glob Health; 2:e327. [Last accessed Dec 2024]. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(14)70227-X
6. Terada S, Fujiwara T, Sugawara J, Maeda K, Satoh S, Mitsuda N. Association of severe maternal morbidity with bonding impairment and self-harm ideation: A multicenter prospective cohort study. J Affect Disord. 2023;338:561-568. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.06.058
7. Steegers EAP, von Dadelszen P, Duvekot JJ, Pijnenborg R. Pre-eclampsia. Lancet. 2010;376(9741):631-644. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(10)60279-6
8. Ohuma EO, Moller AB, Bradley E, et al. National, regional, and global estimates of preterm birth in 2020, with trends from 2010: a systematic analysis. Lancet. 2023;402:1261-1271. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00878-4.