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Onambele L, Ortega-Leon W, Guillen-Aguinaga S, Forjaz MJ, Yoseph A, Guillen-Aguinaga L, Alas-Brun R, Arnedo-Pena A, Aguinaga-Ontoso I, Guillen-Grima F. Maternal Mortality in Africa: Regional Trends (2000-2017). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph192013146. [PMID: 36293727 PMCID: PMC9602585 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND United Nations Sustainable Development Goals state that by 2030, the global maternal mortality rate (MMR) should be lower than 70 per 100,000 live births. MMR is still one of Africa's leading causes of death among women. The leading causes of maternal mortality in Africa are hemorrhage and eclampsia. This research aims to study regional trends in maternal mortality (MM) in Africa. METHODS We extracted data for maternal mortality rates per 100,000 births from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) databank from 2000 to 2017, 2017 being the last date available. Joinpoint regression was used to study the trends and estimate the annual percent change (APC). RESULTS Maternal mortality has decreased in Africa over the study period by an average APC of -3.0% (95% CI -2.9; -3,2%). All regions showed significant downward trends, with the greatest decreases in the South. Only the North African region is close to the United Nations' sustainable development goals for Maternal mortality. The remaining Sub-Saharan African regions are still far from achieving the goals. CONCLUSIONS Maternal mortality has decreased in Africa, especially in the South African region. The only region close to the United Nations' target is the North African region. The remaining Sub-Saharan African regions are still far from achieving the goals. The West African region needs more extraordinary efforts to achieve the goals of the United Nations. Policies should ensure that all pregnant women have antenatal visits and give birth in a health facility staffed by specialized personnel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc Onambele
- School of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Central Africa, Yaoundé 1110, Cameroon
| | - Wilfrido Ortega-Leon
- Epidemiology and Public Health Program, Department of Surgery, Medical and Social Sciences, University of Alcala de Henares, 28801 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Guillen-Aguinaga
- Department of Health Sciences, Public University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- San Juan Health Center, Primary Health Care, Navarra Health Service, 31006 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Maria João Forjaz
- National Epidemiology Centre, Carlos III Health Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- REDISSEC and REDIAPP, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Amanuel Yoseph
- Department of Health Sciences, Public University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa P.O. Box 5, Ethiopia
| | | | - Rosa Alas-Brun
- Department of Health Sciences, Public University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Alberto Arnedo-Pena
- Department of Health Sciences, Public University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Epidemiology Division, Public Health Center, 12003 Castelló de la Plana, Spain
- Public Health and Epidemiology (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ines Aguinaga-Ontoso
- Department of Health Sciences, Public University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), Avda. de Baranain sn, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Francisco Guillen-Grima
- Department of Health Sciences, Public University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research Network, Physiopathology of Obesity and CIBER-OBN, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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