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Set Priorities

Global Action Agenda Targets Key Goals

GAPPS convened the 2009 International Conference on Prematurity and Stillbirth in Seattle to define priorities for action around improving global birth outcomes. More than 200 stakeholders attended this meeting and together they created a Global Action Agenda (GAA) for improving birth outcomes worldwide. The GAA outlines collaborative strategies to achieve four key goals:

• Increase awareness and understanding of the magnitude of the problem
  Global health leaders typically are unaware of the magnitude of the health problems caused by preterm birth and stillbirth, and how these adverse birth outcomes relate to maternal, child and adult health. Other global health leaders are aware of the problems, but do not know how to solve them.
   
• Close the knowledge and solution gaps
  The biology of a healthy pregnancy and childbirth is poorly understood, as are the causes of preterm birth and stillbirth. The magnitude of the problem is difficult to calculate because there are no global standards for data collection.
   
• Support the discovery, development and delivery of interventions
  More research is needed to determine which interventions are most effective. Effective interventions that are already available in low-resource settings should be promoted for scale-up. Effective interventions that are only available in high-income countries should be adapted and evaluated for effectiveness in low-resource settings.
   
• Increase resources for research and implementationConsiderable funding, global commitment and a coordinated effort are needed to reduce preterm birth and stillbirth.

At the 2012 International Conference on Prematurity Stillbirth, stakeholders will reconvene to report on progress, adjust goals and develop new plans for action.