Miscarriages in Gaza have tripled between January and June 2026 compared with the previous six months, with over 3,950 cases recorded — roughly one miscarriage for every five live births — according to Gaza's ministry of health figures cited by the UN. Doctors at still-functioning facilities such as Al-Shifa Medical Complex and Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis report sharp rises in stillbirths, severe anaemia, and malnutrition among pregnant women, attributing the crisis to forced displacement, chronic food insecurity, psychological stress, and restricted access to prenatal care; some physicians also flag potential exposure to heavy metals from war debris as a contributing factor in birth defects. The situation is compounded by a catastrophic shortage of hospital capacity — only 15% of Gaza's health facilities can provide emergency obstetric care, at least 15 women give birth outside any medical facility each week, and staff have at times been forced to deliver babies on hospital floors due to a lack of beds and supplies.