Economic burden of maternal morbidity – A systematic review of cost-of-illness studies

Abstract

To estimate the economic burden of common health problems associated with pregnancy and childbirth, such as incontinence, mental health problems, or gestational diabetes, excluding acute complications of labour or birth, or severe acute adverse maternal outcomes. Methods Searches for relevant studies were carried out to November 2019 in Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and EconLit databases. After initial screening, all results were reviewed for inclusion by two authors. An adapted version of a previously developed checklist for cost-of-illness studies was used for quality appraisal. All costs were converted to 2018 Euro using national consumer price indices and purchasing power parity conversion factors. Results Thirty-eight relevant studies were identified, some of which reported incremental costs for more than one health problem (16 gestational diabetes, 13 overweight/obesity, 8 mental health, 4 hypertensive disorders, 2 nausea and vomiting, 2 epilepsy, 1 intimate partner violence). A high level of heterogeneity was observed in both the methods used, and the incremental cost estimates obtained for each morbidity. Average incremental costs tended to be higher in studies that modelled a hypothetical cohort of women using data from a range of sources (compared to analyses of primary data), and in studies set in the United States. No studies that examined the economic burden of some common pregnancy-related morbidities, such as incontinence, pelvic girdle pain, or sexual health problems, were identified. Conclusion Our findings indicate that maternal morbidity is associated with significant costs to health systems and society, but large gaps remain in the evidence base for the economic burden of

Social and Structural Determinants of Health Inequities in Maternal Health

“…Data suggest the economic burden of maternal morbidity and mortality is billions of dollars each year. 44 Beyond the 700–900 women who suffer from pregnancy complications that result in death, an additional 60,000 women 45 suffer pregnancy-related complications that are near fatal. In particular, the cost of caring for women with preeclampsia is more than $1 billion alone, 46 and the prevailing total annual cost of maternity care exceeds $60 billion.…”

Assessment of the Economic and Health-Care Impact of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) on Public and Private Dental Surgeries in Spain: A Pilot Study

“…Despite equality policies, the loss of purchasing power amongst the female gender, seems to be perpetuated over time [ 20 ]. Some studies suggest that women reduce their working hours when they have children.…”

Adiponectin as a Potential Biomarker for Pregnancy Disorders

“…Globally, it is estimated that 14% of pregnancies are affected by GDM [ 70 ], although rates vary between 1–28% depending on the population studied and the diagnostic criteria used [ 71 ]. The economic costs of GDM are high [ 72 ] and it has been estimated that the health care costs of treating women with GDM are ~25.1% higher than treating women without GDM [ 73 ]. The pathophysiology of GDM has not yet been fully elucidated, although several lines of evidence suggest that GDM occurs in pregnant women in whom β-cell function is not able to counteract insulin resistance that develops during pregnancy [ 74 ].…”