Maternal survival: more research is needed

BELIZAN JM, BUEKENS P, ALTHABE F, BERGEL E.

LANCET

Año: 2006 vol. 368 p. 2123 - 2124

0140-6736

Maternal survival: more research is needed The Lancet Maternal Survival Series1–5Maternal Survival Series1–5 emphasises that “we know what works.” We agree that interventions of proven eff ectiveness should be largely diff used, but we also feel that more research originating from developing countries is urgently needed. From our point of view, global research on maternal survival should focus on the following: •The need to investigate strategies to implement tested, benefi cial interventions in developing countries and to measure their eff ectiveness. •The need for researchers and health workers from developing countries with knowledge of local cultures and situations to develop and test original, feasible interventions. This should include searching for innovative interventions with lowcost, low-technology requirements that are applicable to all levels of care (ie, in both urban and rural areas) and a potentially high impact. Funding agencies should focus on helping to facilitate the translation of ideas into research projects. • More research focused on ex pectations, beliefs, barriers, and knowledge of women and their families to design and tailor interventions for health improvement and population empowerment. • The need for collaborative research among developing countries to obtain external validity and, when feasible, to measure maternal mortality as an outcome. Large, pragmatic multinational cluster trials are an attractive strategy to achieve this aim. • The need for researchers from high-income countries who are planning trials focused on maternal survival to explore the possibility of implementing such trials in close collaboration with researchers from developing countries. • The need for researchers to be trained in their native countries or in similar countries to improve the likelihood that they will stay at research institutions in their own countries. To attain all of these needs, robust research institutions in developing countries are needed, and local and international support should seek to attain this goal. We declare that we have no confl ict of interest. *José M Belizán, Pierre Buekens, Fernando Althabe, Eduardo Bergel belizanj@allstat.org Institute for Clinical Eff ectiveness and Health Policy, Viamonte 2146 (3er Piso), C1056ABH Buenos Aires, Argentina (JMB, FA, EB); and Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA (PB) 1 Ronsmans C, Graham WJ. Maternal mortality: who, when, where, and why. Lancet 2006;Lancet 2006; 368: 1189–200. 2 Campbell OMR, Graham WJ. Strategies for reducing maternal mortality: getting on with what works. Lancet 2006; 368: 1284–99. 3 Koblinsky M, Matthews Z, Hussein J, et al. Going to scale with professional skilled care.1189–200. 2 Campbell OMR, Graham WJ. Strategies for reducing maternal mortality: getting on with what works. Lancet 2006; 368: 1284–99. 3 Koblinsky M, Matthews Z, Hussein J, et al. Going to scale with professional skilled care.Lancet 2006; 368: 1284–99. 3 Koblinsky M, Matthews Z, Hussein J, et al. Going to scale with professional skilled care. Lancet 2006; 368: 1377–86. 4 Borghi J, Ensor T, Somanathan A, et al. Mobilising fi nancial resources for maternal health. Lancet 2006; 368: 1457–65. 5 Filippi V, Ronsmans C, Campbell OMR, et al. Maternal health in poor countries: the broader context and a call for action. Lancet 2006; 368:2006; 368: 1377–86. 4 Borghi J, Ensor T, Somanathan A, et al. Mobilising fi nancial resources for maternal health. Lancet 2006; 368: 1457–65. 5 Filippi V, Ronsmans C, Campbell OMR, et al. Maternal health in poor countries: the broader context and a call for action. Lancet 2006; 368:Lancet 2006; 368: 1457–65. 5 Filippi V, Ronsmans C, Campbell OMR, et al. Maternal health in poor countries: the broader context and a call for action. Lancet 2006; 368:Lancet 2006; 368: 1535–41.