High levels of maternal and child mortality and chronic malnutrition persist in many areas of Guatemala. High-risk pregnancies leading to premature births and severe complications remain a serious threat for both mother and child,especially among pregnant teenagers. This is most problematic for Mayan women in rural areas where the maternal mortality rate is twice the national average and up to 85% of births take place at home with no qualified medical staff present.

Since PCI (previously Project Concern International) began offering services at Casa Materna in rural Huehuetenango, complications and maternal deaths due to childbirth have been significantly reduced. The facility, run by PCI professional staff, has provided more than 63,000 women with culturally-sensitive reproductive healthcare, medical evaluations, delivery services, and support during and between pregnancies to ensure healthy births.

Babies can be born healthy and safely when a pregnant woman receives prenatal care.