Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) account for almost 65% of women’s deaths around the world, and the majority of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Women with diabetes, anemia, cancer, obesity, hypertensive pregnancy disorders and several other NCDs are at a higher risk of developing childbirth-related complications, and so are their babies. Children born to mothers with NCDs are more likely to experience adverse health outcomes later in life. Furthermore, perinatal mental health issues can continue after delivery and in extreme cases lead to self-harm, one of the leading causes of women’s deaths globally.
As the world continues to undergo the “obstetric transition” from mostly direct causes of maternal mortality to more indirect causes, addressing the effects of NCDs on maternal health is becoming increasingly urgent. Interventions designed to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, particularly in low-resource settings, have traditionally focused heavily on obstetric complications and intrapartum care, while less attention has been given to the complex “indirect causes” of maternal deaths and their underlying risk factors. A more holistic approach to improving maternal health is needed, which includes addressing the global burden of NCDs contributing to maternal mortality and morbidity.
Resources
Key Papers
- Links between maternal health and NCDs
Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology | January 2015 - PMNCH knowledge summary #15: Noncommunicable diseases
The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health | 2011 - Noncommunicable diseases: A priority for women’s health and development
NCD Alliance | February 2011 - Meeting the emerging challenge of breast and cervical cancer in low- and middle-income countries
International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics | October 2012 - Diabetes during pregnancy in low- and middle-income countries
American Journal of Perinatology | May 2016 - Interventions for common perinatal mental disorders in women in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Bulletin of the World Health Organization | April 2013 - Type 2 diabetes mellitus after gestational diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis
The Lancet | May 2009 - Integrating noncommunicable disease prevention into maternal and child health programs: Can it be done and what will it take?
International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics | November 2011
Recent Publications
Longitudinal study of emotional experiences, grief and depressive symptoms in women and men after miscarriage
Periodontal condition is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes and premature rupture membranes in low income pregnant women in Bogota, Colombia: A case control study
“I just wish that everything is in one place”: facilitators and barriers to continuity of care among HIV-positive, postpartum women with a non-communicable disease in South Africa
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: Overview and current recommendations
The initial development of the Pregnancy-related Anxiety Scale
See all noncommunicable diseases recent publications>>
News
One woman’s story: Preeclampsia goes untreated in Ethiopia
Why pregnant women with depression often slip through the cracks
Pregnancy complications might ‘turn on’ schizophrenia genes, study says
Early pregnancy obesity, overweight linked to neurodevelopmental delay in offspring
Maternal mental health problems – the impact in numbers
See all noncommunicable diseases news>>
Documents & Reports
WHO Recommendations: Intrapartum Care for a Positive Childbirth Experience
WHO Recommendations on Antenatal Care for a Positive Pregnancy Experience: Summary
Independent Accountability Panel 2017 Report
Selected Results of an Analysis of the Maternal and Newborn Content of Routine Information Systems in 24 Countries
Maternal Mental Health – Women’s Voices
See all noncommunicable diseases documents & reports>>
Organizations
The Role of the MHTF
Featured Resources
In November 2017, the Maternal Health Task Force (MHTF) hosted a panel discussion to mark the launch of the fifth MHTF-PLOS collection, “Noncommunicable Diseases and Maternal Health Around the Globe.”
Watch the video>>
Read a summary of the event>>
Browse the open access collection>>
Blog
Blog series: Noncommunicable Diseases and Maternal Health