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Which health services reduce maternal mortality? Evidence from ratings of maternal health services
Author(s) -
Bulatao Rodolfo A.,
Ross John A.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3156.2003.01083.x
Subject(s) - developing country , socioeconomic status , health services , medicine , environmental health , infant mortality , per capita , pregnancy , interdependence , demography , maternal health , population , economic growth , economics , political science , sociology , biology , law , genetics
Summary We report cross‐national regressions for maternal mortality in 49 developing countries, using indices of the adequacy of maternal health services derived from ratings by at least 10 experts per country. As in previous such regressions, a socioeconomic factor – in this case per capita income – has a significant effect, but having a trained attendant at delivery does not. Instead, the ratings index for access to services has a consistent, significant effect regardless of which estimates of maternal mortality ratios are predicted. Further analysis suggests that access to treatment for pregnancy complications and to services that help avoid pregnancy and birth are most closely related to lower mortality. Service ratings are interdependent, however, so that focusing only on individual services may not be productive.