Maternal Mortality among Refugees and in Zones of Conflict

Abstract

Every day, more than 500 women and girls in countries with emergency settings die during pregnancy and childbirth, due to the absence of skilled birth attendants or emergency obstetric procedures and unsafe abortion. Three chronologically ordered delays contribute to the increased maternal morbidity and mortality in conflict zones: (1) delay in recognizing the need to seek obstetrical care, (2) delay in reaching the medical facility, and (3) delay in diagnosing and receiving the proper care. When it comes to the causes of maternal mortality in states of conflict, the trends seem to be concordant with those seen in global estimations. Most common causes are preventable complications that could be avoided if proper care is given in the right time, including obstetrical hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and sepsis. Despite the apparent effects of war on interruption of access to reproductive healthcare, its direct consequences on pregnancy outcomes are less clear. Low birth weight, stillbirth, and prematurity were found to be consequences of conflict exposure. According to the World Health Organization, there are multiple evidence-based interventions that have been shown to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, for which there is moderate-to high-quality evidence.

Women's participation in childbearing decision-making and its effects on short-interval births in Rohingya refugee camps of Bangladesh

“…Covariates considered in this study were selected based on a review of relevant literature in refugee settings. 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 These included women's age (≤19 or ≥20), education (no education or at least some education), and work engagement outside the household (yes or no). Women's intentions regarding their most recent pregnancy, which occurred within two years of the survey and resulted in a live birth, were also included as an explanatory factor.…”

“… 4 This persistent issue of the refugee settings is a global concern, contributing to nearly two-thirds of global maternal mortality and a significant proportion of the total under-five mortality. 5 Effectively addressing this issue requires reducing unintended pregnancies and increasing the spacing between births. 6 However, a major challenge lies in achieving this goal is the lack of comprehensive data regarding the extent of short interval births and their complex association with factors related to the refugee and host country situations.…”

“…Existing research in the context of refugees primarily focuses on family planning, contraception, and maternal healthcare services, and their associated factors, as well as the gender-based violence. 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 This limited focus restricts policymakers' ability to develop evidence-based policies and programs aimed at enhancing women's participation in reproductive decision-making and reducing the incidence of short interval births. Therefore, this study aims to explore the extent of women's participation in decision-making with their partner regarding when to have a child, short interval births, and their associations.…”