GENEVA, Switzerland — The first 1,000 days in the life of a human being—from conception to the second birthday—are crucial to the health and prosperity of both mother and child, according to an updated document released this week at the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland. It was produced by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life Global Outreach (MCCL GO), a U.N.-accredited non-governmental organization.
“A wealth of research has demonstrated how important this 1,000-day window of time is,” stated MCCL GO President Scott Fischbach. “Mothers and babies need quality health care throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the two years after. This must be prioritized.”
This week’s 76th annual WHA is a gathering of the U.N.’s World Health Organization, including delegations from all member states. The theme for this year’s meeting is “health for all.”
An estimated 2.4 million children died within the first month of life in 2020. Many newborn deaths can be prevented by improving the quality of care during labor, childbirth and the days following birth, including essential newborn care, explains MCCL GO’s newly updated document, “1 to 1,000: How to ensure the health and flourishing of women, children, and society.”
“Maternal and child health are intimately connected,” said Fischbach. “Maternal mortality and morbidity remain a serious problem in large parts of the world. We can save the lives of both pregnant women and their babies by providing the care that they need, including skilled birth attendants, emergency obstetric care, sanitation, and clean water.”
The brochure also describes the importance of early childhood, when suboptimum breastfeeding leads to an estimated 800,000 deaths each year, and it calls for respect and protection for women during pregnancy and motherhood, when they may be uniquely vulnerable to the threat of violence and abuse.
“The first 1,000 days after conception are so critical in so many ways, not just for women and children, but for society as a whole,” Fischbach explained. “Good care throughout this period leads to healthier, better-educated, and more productive adults, increasing economic prosperity.”
MCCL GO calls on the WHA to prioritize the 1,000-day continuum of care for all mothers and babies.
MCCL GO’s brochure “1 to 1,000” is available in English and Spanish at the MCCL GO website, www.mccl-go.org.
MCCL GO is the U.N.- and OAS-accredited global outreach program of the Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life Education Fund. Our goal is to protect as many human beings as possible from the destruction of abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia. Learn more at www.mccl-go.org.