Yemen: Siege of Taiz Threatens Lives of 13,000 Pregnant Women

The UN Population Fund reported that fighting and movement restrictions in Taiz have deprived over 13,000 pregnant women of essential healthcare, increasing miscarriages and unsafe deliveries amid a siege and supply route closures by the Houthis.

The UN Population Fund reported that fighting and movement restrictions within and around the Yemeni city of Taiz have deprived over 13,000 pregnant women of essential healthcare, leading to increased miscarriages and unsafe deliveries. Taiz has been in near-total isolation for a month, as fighting prevents humanitarian supplies from entering and civilians from leaving, following an escalation of clashes between the Saudi-backed government and the Iran-aligned Houthi group. Houthi forces have closed main supply routes, including the corridor between Taiz and Aden, worsening shortages of water, food, and fuel. UN data indicates that nearly half of the 300,000 displaced people across Yemen due to renewed fighting are in Taiz. The UN Population Fund representative in Yemen, Francisco Galtieri, told journalists that Yemen already has the highest maternal mortality rate in the Arab region, with an estimated three women dying daily from childbirth complications before the renewed conflict this summer. Fund-supported midwives have recently reported a rise in miscarriages and unsafe deliveries, especially in Taiz city and surrounding areas. The fund expects about 1,500 obstetric emergencies among 6,400 displaced pregnant women.