95739 Chap.3 Maternal and Child Health and SDG 3 Targets
Maternal and Child Health and SDG 3 Targets
The case
Assessment 1A sets a fictional country, Orlundia, where rural and marginalised women lack prenatal care and trained staff.
Sarah’s story shows a mobile clinic, health education and peer support changing her pregnancy.
The targets
Target 3.1 covers the health of mothers and children and Target 3.7 makes sexual and reproductive health services available to all, with poverty and gender equality as indirect conditions.
The global picture
Maternal mortality barely fell between 2015 and 2020 and remains far above the 2030 target.
What this chapter covers
- 01
The Orlundia case and Sarah’s barriers
- 02
Targets 3.1 and 3.7
- 03
Mobile clinics, antenatal care and education
- 04
Emotional support and peer groups
- 05
Links to SDG 1 and SDG 5
- 06
Global maternal and child mortality data
- 07
Sustainability checks for a program
Worked example · free
Measure how far maternal mortality is from its target
- 1Fall achieved from 2015 to 2020: 227 minus 223 equals 4 deaths per 100,000 live births.
- 1Fall still needed after 2020: 223 minus 70 equals 153 deaths per 100,000 live births.
- 1Compare with the target: 223 divided by 70 is about 3.2, so the 2020 level is more than three times the target.
Key terms
- Maternal Mortality Ratio
- The number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, the measure behind Target 3.1.
- Antenatal Care
- Health checks and education during pregnancy, such as those Sarah receives at the mobile clinic.
- Mobile Health Clinic
- A staffed and equipped service that travels to remote areas to deliver care where facilities are far away.
- Skilled Birth Attendance
- Births attended by trained health personnel, which reached 86% globally in 2022.
Maternal and Child Health and SDG 3 Targets FAQ
Which SDG targets does the Orlundia case focus on?
Target 3.1 on the health of mothers and children, and Target 3.7 on sexual and reproductive health services for everyone. The case also says progress on poverty, SDG 1, and gender equality, SDG 5, is critical even though their effect on maternal health is indirect.
What barriers does Sarah face in the case?
She lives far from the nearest facility with limited transport, faces cultural barriers and has financial constraints. Orlundia also lacks trained health professionals and essential supplies, which is why the travelling clinic run by a local non-profit matters so much to her.
How much did maternal mortality fall between 2015 and 2020?
Hardly at all. The global ratio moved from 227 to 223 deaths per 100,000 live births, and the yearly rate of reduction slowed to 0.04%, far below the 11% a year the UN report says is needed to reach 70 by 2030.
Can I bring notes to the Task A quiz?
Yes, within limits. The task page says you are welcome to bring a printout of the case study with your handwritten notes into class for the ten-question multiple-choice quiz, so annotate the barriers, responses and target links before Week 2.
How is skilled attendance at birth tracked under Target 3.1?
The UN progress report uses it as one measure of progress: skilled health personnel attended 86% of births worldwide in 2022, compared with 81% in 2015, but just 70% in sub-Saharan Africa. The Orlundia case describes the same shortage of trained professionals in remote areas.
What role does the mobile clinic play in Sarah’s story?
Run by a local non-profit and staffed by skilled professionals, it travels to remote villages with essential supplies. Through it Sarah receives regular antenatal check-ups, education on nutrition, hygiene and breastfeeding, family planning information, emotional support, group sessions with other mothers and antenatal classes.
How does the case connect maternal health with poverty and gender?
It says progress on poverty (SDG 1) and gender equality (SDG 5) is critical even though their effect is indirect. Sarah’s financial constraints and cultural barriers show why: better services help only when women can afford to use them and have a say in their own care.
Assessment move
Annotate the case in four colours: barriers, responses, Target 3.1 or 3.7, and links to SDG 1 or SDG 5. Then run the four preparation checks, long-term impact, equity, social determinants and stakeholders, on each response. Learn the global maternal and child mortality figures as context, and practise one short paragraph judging whether a program would last after its funding ends.
Finish by writing a short answer to each preparation point on the Task A page, using the case’s own details rather than outside facts about real countries.
Working through Maternal and Child Health and SDG 3 Targets in 95739? Sia is AskSia’s AI Health and Medicine tutor — ask any 95739 Maternal and Child Health and SDG 3 Targets question and get a clear, step-by-step explanation grounded in how 95739 is taught and assessed. Read this chapter free, then take your hardest questions to Sia.
