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The President’s Session at the FIGO World Congress 2025 brought together global leaders in maternal and newborn health to share insights, innovations and collaborative solutions for addressing postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) – one of the leading causes of preventable maternal mortality worldwide.

The session opened with a powerful introduction by Prof Anne-Beatrice Kihara, now Immediate Past President of FIGO. Expert speakers representing perspectives from community leaders, midwives, government officials and professional associations then presented a range of topics on how to reduce maternal mortality from PPH, emphasizing that every voice is vital in the global effort to eliminate preventable maternal deaths.

Presentations began with Angela Nguku of the White Ribbon Alliance, who amplified community voices sharing experiences of maternal loss from PPH, reminding attendees of the urgent human impact behind the statistics. Prof Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, Chief Midwife at the International Confederation of Midwives, highlighted the importance of interprofessional collaboration between midwives and obstetricians to improve maternal and newborn outcomes. HE Mutula Kilonzo Jr., Governor of Makueni County, shared lessons from Kenya’s devolved health system, demonstrating how Makueni achieved “zero-rating” PPH through local leadership and innovation. Prof Ibrahima Teguete, President of the Mali Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, reflected on how professional societies can drive progress and sustainability in reducing maternal mortality across Africa. Finally, Prof Pascale Allotey outlined the WHO PPH Roadmap, presenting global priorities for maternal health and the coordinated strategies needed to achieve lasting change.

The President's Session concluded with two landmark moments: the official launch of the WHO–FIGO–ICM Consolidated Guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage, and the declaration of World Postpartum Haemorrhage Day, reaffirming a shared global commitment to maternal health equity.

Reflecting on the importance of the keynote, Prof Kihara remarked, “We hoped this session would ignite in us a shared vision to focus on preventable maternal mortality from PPH.” She continued, “A woman’s geographic location should not determine whether she survives or not. Every woman, every newborn, everywhere and every time must be our clarion call – they matter.”

Chairs

Prof Anne-Beatrice Kihara, Immediate Past President of FIGO, Kenya

Prof Frank Louwen, President of FIGO, Germany

Speakers

Ms Angela Nguku, Founder and Executive Director of the White Ribbon Alliance, Kenya