Abstract

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Developing public health policies is fundamental to promoting maternal health worldwide. The United Nations (UN) proposed eight Millennium Development Goals to guide the public policies of its member countries, including Mexico. The fifth goal aimed to reduce maternal mortality by 75% by 2015. However, once this deadline passed, global maternal mortality had dropped by just under 50%.

 

Some examples of the most important and universally accepted measures that have reduced maternal mortality worldwide are access to prenatal care, emergency obstetric care, skilled attendance at birth, access to clean water and increasing women's education.

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This report presents, as a summary for the public, the scientific evidence obtained from a thorough investigation of the determinants of maternal mortality conducted in each Mexican state. The full study was published in British Medical Journal Open (BMJ Open) and coordinated by the MELISA Institute in cooperation with an international team of specialists from various institutions, such as UNAM, Duke University, the University of Utah, and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

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In the following pages, the reader will find 32 index cards with the maternal mortality rankings of the 32 Mexican states, the most important determinants of maternal health identified in each state, and specific recommendations to design public policies based on scientific evidence. In fact, each Mexican state has its own challenges that require a policy addressing maternal health determinants, which differ from one state to another. Before reviewing the card of a particular state, it is recommended to read the brief glossary describing the 7 determinants of maternal health found by the investigation

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