Escalating Conflict in Yemen Leaves Thousands of Pregnant Women Without Vital Care

The recent surge in military hostilities along Yemen’s western coast has triggered a humanitarian crisis, displacing over 145,000 people since September and leaving thousands of pregnant women to endure childbirth in life-threatening conditions without access to essential medical services.

According to estimates from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), approximately 3,200 pregnant women are among the newly displaced population, with at least 600 requiring emergency obstetric care this month alone. Yemen continues to face one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the Arab world, with three preventable deaths occurring daily, while millions of women remain vulnerable to gender-based violence and a lack of basic protection.

Displaced women have reported harrowing experiences during their flight from conflict zones, with some forced to give birth on roadsides amidst active gunfire and without qualified medical assistance. Field reports confirm that the absence of adequate shelter, nutrition, and healthcare, compounded by the destruction of infrastructure and blocked access to facilities, leaves both mothers and newborns in critical danger.

Francesco Galtieri, the UNFPA Representative in Yemen, warned that hard-won progress in women’s health and dignity is rapidly eroding. He emphasized that reproductive health services and protection in humanitarian crises are not luxuries, but life-saving necessities. While the UNFPA is deploying community midwives and distributing emergency medical supplies, the organization’s efforts are severely hampered by a lack of resources.

The UNFPA is currently facing a critical funding shortfall, having secured only 20 percent of the $71 million required for its 2026 humanitarian response plan. The agency is urgently seeking $22.7 million to sustain its vital operations over the next three months and to expand assistance to the most severely affected regions, ensuring that life-saving care reaches the thousands of women and girls currently in desperate need.