Improving women's health

The grand challenge of “Improving Women's Health” is the theme of the 2012World Report onWomen's Health. Many factors influence maternal morbidity and mortality and sexual and reproductive health, spanning youth to old age. Although Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 encompasses the reduction of maternal mortality and improvement of sexual and reproductive health, every MDG has an impact on women's health; for example, MDG 1: the eradication of poverty; MDG 2: education; MDG 3 gender equality; MDG 4: reduction of child mortality; and MDG 6: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. The people most affected by these MDGs are women. The focus for us, as professionals, needs to expand beyond the traditional basic and comprehensive obstetric functions and tackling the “3 delays model” to reduce maternal mortality. For MDG 5, although results have shown a reduction in maternal mortality, the rates in many countries to date are not what had been hoped for. The aim of the 2012 World Report is to focus on these wider issues, in addition to MDG 5. The 2012 World Report comprises a Special Communication from FIGO's President, Professor Gamal Serour, and 20 articles under 2 chapters: Improving Maternal Health; and Improving Reproductive Health. Professor Serour's article highlights the various Committees and initiatives that are in place to achieve FIGO's vision of improving women's health and reducing reproductive morbidity and mortality. The Report includes articles by authors involved in some of these Committees, which detail their activities and achievements. FIGO works collaboratively and cooperates with other professional societies and nongovernmental organizations to improve women's health, and numerous authors involved with these organizations have kindly contributed articles related to their main sphere of activity.