Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Maternal mortality: who, when, where, and why.

Carine Ronsmans1, Wendy J Graham,

  • 1Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. carine.ronsmans@lshtm.ac.uk

Lancet (London, England)
|October 3, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Maternal mortality risk varies drastically worldwide, with the poorest regions facing significantly higher risks. Addressing this global health disparity requires targeted interventions for vulnerable populations to achieve significant progress.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The re-emergence of a data desert for maternal survival is a serious risk amid global health funding cuts.

BMJ global health·2026
Same author

Infant and child mortality trends in China: a longitudinal study for the period 1950-2016.

BMJ public health·2026
Same author

Pathways of change for essential newborn care practices and health care seeking: a process evaluation of Mamás del Río, a community-based, maternal and neonatal health intervention in the Peruvian Amazon.

Health policy and planning·2026
Same author

Impact of a multicomponent training intervention (Clean FrontLine) on microbiological cleanliness in Cambodian referral hospitals: a multicentre, stepped-wedge, cluster-randomised trial.

The Lancet. Microbe·2025
Same author

Community boat service to promote institutional delivery in the Philippines: a mixed-methods study of a social innovation.

BMJ public health·2025
Same author

Excess mortality among patients with severe mental disorders and effects of community-based mental healthcare: A community-based prospective study in Sichuan, China - RETRACTION.

BJPsych open·2024

Area of Science:

  • Global Health
  • Reproductive Health
  • Demography

Background:

  • Maternal mortality risk shows extreme global disparities, with rates of 1 in 6 in the poorest regions versus 1 in 30,000 in Northern Europe.
  • This discrepancy presents a major obstacle to achieving the Millennium Development Goal for maternal mortality reduction.
  • Progress in reducing maternal deaths is hindered in low-income countries by weak health systems, high fertility rates, and inadequate data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the vast disparities in maternal mortality risk globally.
  • To identify challenges in reducing maternal mortality in high-risk countries.
  • To emphasize the need for targeted interventions to address inequalities in maternal death risk.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of global maternal mortality data and risk factors.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Comparison of maternal death rates between different global regions.
  • Identification of key periods and causes of maternal death.

    • Main Results:

    • Maternal deaths are concentrated during labor, delivery, and the postpartum period.
    • Obstetric hemorrhage is the primary medical cause of maternal death.
    • Unsafe abortion and HIV/AIDS are significant causes of maternal death in specific populations.

    Conclusions:

    • Substantial progress in reducing maternal mortality requires targeted interventions for vulnerable groups, including rural and impoverished populations.
    • Addressing underlying factors like weak health systems and high fertility is crucial for high-risk countries.
    • Reducing inequalities in maternal death risk is essential for global health equity.