Mar 25, 2009, 11:01 GMT
Britain's Sarah Ferguson has spoken about the pain her mother and sister suffered when they miscarried babies.
The Duchess of York's late mother Susan Barrantes lost a daughter, Sophia, after developing pre-eclampsia - a condition with is potentially life-threatening which is characterised by high blood pressure - when Sarah was nine, while her sister Jane has lost two children.
Sarah said: "So we lost our baby sister Sophia. My mother should not have survived either, but thanks to two amazing doctors she lived to be a good parent to my sister and me.
"But that pain of loss, suffered by so many mothers, is almost too much to bear. My older sister Jane also lost two babies - one at six months and the other stillborn. She says there is no greater sadness than being in the maternity ward with everyone excitedly hugging their babies while for you there's nothing to plan except a funeral."
The duchess is now backing the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood, a group of agencies which aims to raise the standard of healthcare for mothers in developing countries.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's wife Sarah is patron of the alliance, of which Kylie Minogue and Gwyneth Paltrow are supporters.
Speaking about the new campaign, Sarah added: "A mother dies because of the complications of pregnancy or childbirth somewhere in the world every minute. In the worst affected parts of Africa the risk of a woman dying in childbirth is one in eight. And it's thought that at least 80 per cent of these deaths are preventable."
Sarah - who has two daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, with ex-husband Prince Andrew - also opened up about her own experiences of pregnancy, revealing Eugenie was born via Caesarean section.
She told London's Evening Standard newspaper: "I was lucky too that my then husband Prince Andrew was granted shore leave from the Royal Navy for both births and I'm eternally grateful that he was there throughout, holding my hand.
"I had what in reality very few mothers in the world have - medical support in a hospital and a loving husband with me."
The White Ribbon Alliance is selling pins for £1 with the aim of raising £1 million.
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