Measuring maternal, foetal and neonatal mortality: Challenges and solutions

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Demography
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Maternal and infant mortality are closely linked, with higher rates in infants.
• Accurate measurement is vital for effective interventions and tracking progress globally and nationally.
• Significant challenges exist in measuring these mortality rates and their causes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of definitions and indicators for maternal, foetal, and neonatal mortality.
• To discuss current measurement challenges and propose improvements.
• To illustrate the uses of mortality data in modeling and audits.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of definitions and indicators for maternal, foetal, and neonatal mortality.
• Discussion of measurement issues and potential solutions.
• Examples of mortality data application in estimation models and audits.

Main Results:

• Established definitions and indicators for maternal, foetal, and neonatal mortality.
• Identified key challenges in current measurement practices.
• Presented options for enhancing the accuracy and utility of mortality data.

Conclusions:

• Improved measurement of maternal, foetal, and neonatal mortality is essential for public health.
• Addressing measurement challenges can lead to better data for interventions and policy.
• Mortality data are critical for global health initiatives and program evaluation.