Mortality and Severe Morbidity in Pregnancy and Beyond

Maternal mortality continues to be a major global health challenge. Several high-income countries have seen maternal mortality ratios (MMR) stagnate or increase, while in many low- and middle-income countries, the rates of decline are unlikely to enable attaining the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 3.1) targets of less than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Further, countries that have attained the SDG 3.1 targets, still report high and increasing rates of near-miss events and severe maternal morbidity, which results in devastating consequences to families, communities, healthcare professionals and health systems. Finally, countries that are able to gather data beyond the period of pregnancy and childbirth have documented that the increase in mortality and severe morbidity continues for at least up to a year following pregnancy and the effects of the non-fatal complications can not only result in adverse outcomes in subsequent pregnancies, but could increase the risk of long-term cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

As the demographics of the pregnant population change globally in terms of pregnancies at the extremes of reproductive age, the increased use of artificial reproductive technology, higher prevalence of pre-pregnancy obesity and medical/surgical comorbidities and growing distrust in health systems, it is essential to review advances in epidemiological approaches to accurately determine trends and modifiable risk factors, understand the value of enhanced obstetric survey systems in complementing epidemiological surveillance to determine root causes through systematic and confidential reviews, appreciate the impact of serious pregnancy complications on families and healthcare professionals, and emphasize the importance of knowledge dissemination and implementation in reducing the burden of mortality and severe morbidity during and after pregnancy.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• High-Quality Epidemiologic Studies describing current trends, trajectories, risk factors and health resource utilization from mortality and severe morbidity

• Findings of confidential reviews of mortality and morbidity from high-, middle- and low-income countries

• Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research Studies highlighting the impact of mortality and severe morbidity on families, communities and the health system.

• Lessons learned from implementation studies evaluating processes and outcomes.

• Systematic reviews of educational and other interventions in reducing mortality and morbidity

• Novel research methodologies and approaches to study the rising burden of mortality and morbidity during and after pregnancy

• Late postpartum mortality and morbidity and inter-pregnancy interventions to improve outcomes in subsequent pregnancies

• International consensus on harmonization or terminology, descriptions and indicators used to describe severe pregnancy complications.



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Dr. Rohan d'Souza acts as consultant for private companies including Sanofi, Pfizer, and Octapharma. Other Topic Editors declare no conflicts of interest.