Kenya had lost 566 expectant women and 868 newborns by the end of August, with health data showing that dozens of mothers and babies continued to die every month despite renewed efforts to bring down preventable deaths.
Figures from the Ministry of Health show that 73 maternal deaths were recorded in August alone, while 74 babies aged between zero and 28 days died during the same month.
The number of perinatal deaths, involving children aged zero to 20 weeks, stood at 3,854 by August 31, making it the highest of the three categories tracked by the ministry.
The deaths have been recorded as the government pushes counties and health facilities to improve care for mothers and newborns and reduce deaths that can be prevented.
The burden varies across the country, with Nakuru recording the highest cumulative number of maternal, neonatal and perinatal deaths at 443.
Kisumu followed with 368 deaths, while Kakamega recorded 329. Nairobi had 308, Trans Nzoia 255 and Kwale 248.
Migori recorded 225 deaths, followed by Kiambu with 217, Garissa with 202 and Bungoma with 188.
The counties with the fewest cumulative deaths included Tharaka-Nithi, Siaya, Bomet, Machakos, Samburu, Busia, Mandera, Isiolo, Nyamira and Marsabit.
The latest figures come months after the Ministry of Health launched a new programme targeting counties carrying the greatest burden of maternal and newborn deaths.
In May, the ministry launched the Rapid Results Initiative in 26 counties, with a target of cutting facility maternal deaths, neonatal deaths and fresh stillbirths by 15 per cent by July 2026 in high-burden counties.
President William Ruto also launched the "Every Woman, Every New-born, Everywhere (EWENE) Acceleration Plan" in May as part of efforts to reduce maternal and newborn deaths.
The government secured Sh10 billion in funding this month to help strengthen health systems and support efforts aimed at reducing preventable maternal deaths.
This followed an earlier investment of about Sh7.5 billion to improve maternal, newborn and family planning services.
Speaking at the Health Summit last month, Director-General for Health in the Ministry of Health Dr Patrick Amoth said the country had taken steps to ensure mothers and newborns were protected from causes of death that could be prevented.
He said the government joined the global EWENE initiative because of the need to speed up efforts to save mothers and newborns.
"There was slowness in terms of accelerating reduction in preventable maternal and newborn deaths," Dr Amoth said.
Dr Amoth attributed the slow progress to several challenges, including the pandemic, conflict, the climate crisis, aid cuts and complacency.
"What we now need to commit to is to optimise the resources that we have, and also shine the spotlight on counties that are off track," he said.
President of the Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society Dr Kireki Omanwa said the rise in maternal and newborn deaths could be linked to a number of factors, including the nationwide nurses' strike.
He said the actual number of deaths could be higher because the available data is collected from only about 200 hospitals.
"It gives a small percentage of public hospitals. Faith-based and private hospitals are not reporting. The numbers could be worse because when nurses and midwives are not in hospitals, then more mothers are likely to die," Dr Omanwa said.
He also pointed to gaps in reporting, particularly in North Eastern, where deaths may not always enter official records because burial rites are conducted soon after a person dies.
"There are also a lot of unreported maternal deaths, especially in North Eastern, where burial rites take place almost immediately atter someone dies. We are not doing well," he added.
The Ministry of Health data shows that respiratory problems were among the leading causes of newborn deaths.
Other major causes included unspecified disorders arising after birth, complications related to the length of gestation and infectious diseases affecting newborns.
For mothers, excessive bleeding was among the main causes of death, alongside unknown causes, hypertensive disorders, complications during labour and problems arising after childbirth.
The figures come at a time when the government is under pressure to make better use of available resources and ensure counties facing the greatest burden receive greater attention.
With hundreds of mothers and newborns dying within the first eight months of the year, health officials and specialists are calling for faster progress in tackling the causes of deaths that can be prevented.