Maternal Health

A comprehensive definition of maternal, or reproductive, health was one of many important contributions of the landmark United Nations International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in September 1994 in Cairo, Egypt. The ICPD definition stated that "Reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes. Reproductive health therefore implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so."