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Cited by 622Global Maternal and Child HealthMaternal and fetal healthcareMaternal and Neonatal Healthcare

How effective is antenatal care in preventing maternal mortality and serious morbidity? An overview of the evidence.

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Carroli, G., Rooney, C., Villar, J.·2001·Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology
DOI 10.1046/j.1365-3016.2001.0150s1001.x
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Abstract

This is an overview of evidence of the effectiveness of antenatal care in relation to maternal mortality and serious morbidity, focused in particular on developing countries. It concentrates on the major causes of maternal mortality, and traces their antecedent morbidities and risk factors in pregnancy. It also includes interventions aimed at preventing, detecting or treating any stage along this pathway during pregnancy. This is an updated and expanded version of a review first published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1992. The scientific evidence from randomised controlled trials and other types of intervention or observational study on the effectiveness of these interventions is reviewed critically. The sources and quality of available data, and possible biases in their collection or interpretation are considered. As in other areas of maternal health, good‐quality evidence is scarce and, just as in many aspects of health care generally, there are interventions in current practice that have not been subjected to rigorous evaluation. A table of antenatal interventions of proven effectiveness in conditions that can lead to maternal mortality or serious morbidity is presented. Interventions for which there is some promising evidence, short of proof, of effectiveness are explored, and the outstanding questions formulated. These are presented in a series of tables with suggestions about the types of study needed to answer them.

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Authors
Carroli, G., Rooney, C., & Villar, J.
Affiliations
  • Centro Rosarino de Estudios Perinatales (AR)
  • World Health Organization (CH)
ORCID
Villar, J.
Venue
Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2001-01
Volume
15
Issue
s1
Pages
1-42
ISSN
  • 0269-5022 (ISSN-L)
  • 1365-3016
DOI
10.1046/j.1365-3016.2001.0150s1001.x
OpenAlex
W1972935321
Cited by
622
References
218
Citations by year
2026: 21 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 38 · 2022: 43 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 36 · 2018: 34 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 32 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 22
FWCI
12.65
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 356 d)
Locations
  • Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
World Health Organization
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Global Maternal and Child Health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Maternal and fetal healthcare
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare
Keywords
prenatal care, maternal mortality, maternal morbidity, pregnancy risk factors, antenatal interventions, developing countries, quality of evidence, research gaps
MeSH terms
Female, Humans, Maternal Mortality, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Prenatal Care, Global Health, World Health Organization, Evidence-Based Medicine

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