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. 2018 May;63(Suppl 1):47-61.
doi: 10.1007/s00038-017-1004-3. Epub 2017 Aug 3.

Maternal mortality and morbidity burden in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study

GBD 2015 Eastern Mediterranean Region Maternal Mortality Collaborators
Collaborators

Maternal mortality and morbidity burden in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study

GBD 2015 Eastern Mediterranean Region Maternal Mortality Collaborators. Int J Public Health. 2018 May.

Abstract

Objectives: Assessing the burden of maternal mortality is important for tracking progress and identifying public health gaps. This paper provides an overview of the burden of maternal mortality in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) by underlying cause and age from 1990 to 2015.

Methods: We used the results of the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study to explore maternal mortality in the EMR countries.

Results: The maternal mortality ratio in the EMR decreased 16.3% from 283 (241-328) maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 237 (188-293) in 2015. Maternal mortality ratio was strongly correlated with socio-demographic status, where the lowest-income countries contributed the most to the burden of maternal mortality in the region.

Conclusion: Progress in reducing maternal mortality in the EMR has accelerated in the past 15 years, but the burden remains high. Coordinated and rigorous efforts are needed to make sure that adequate and timely services and interventions are available for women at each stage of reproductive life.

Keywords: Burden of disease; Eastern Mediterranean Region; Maternal health; Maternal mortality.

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Conflict of interest statement

This manuscript reflects original work that has not previously been published in whole or in part and is not under consideration elsewhere. All authors have read the manuscript and have agreed that the work is ready for submission and accept responsibility for its contents.The authors of this paper have complied with all ethical standards and do not have any conflicts of interest to disclose at the time of submission. The funding source played no role in the design of the study, the analysis and interpretation of data, and the writing of the paper. The study did not involve human participants and/or animals; therefore, no informed consent was needed.

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest at this time.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Top cause of maternal deaths in Eastern Mediterranean Region countries, 2015 (Global Burden of Disease 2015 study, Eastern Mediterranean Countries 2015)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) rates per 100,000 women ages 15–49 for maternal causes by country, 2015 (Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study, Eastern Mediterranean Countries 2015)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) rates per 100,000 women ages 10–54 for maternal causes in the Eastern Mediterranean Region by age, 2015 (Global Burden of Disease 2015 study, Eastern Mediterranean Region 2015)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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