Maternal mortality is the death of a woman during or shortly after pregnancy, with major direct causes being hemorrhage, infection, high blood pressure, unsafe abortion, and obstructed labor. In 2008, 358,000 maternal deaths occurred worldwide, with 99% in developing countries and over half in Sub-Saharan Africa and one-third in South Asia. The UN aims to reduce maternal mortality by 75% by improving access to reproductive healthcare services and family planning. Many women lack such access due to poverty and inability to reach facilities, resulting in unassisted home births. HIV is transmitted via unprotected sex, contaminated needles, breast milk, and from mother to child during birth or breastfeeding. In 2009, 33.3 million