Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42022205›Full record

ReviewInternational journal of nursing studies advances2026

Maternal outcomes and access to maternal healthcare services among migrant, refugees and forced displaced women in the Middle East and North Africa: A systematic scoping review.

Anissa Ouahchi, Taha Maatoug, Farah Seedat, Liv Pampiri, Ali Mtiraoui, Wejdene Mansour, Abdedayem Khelifi, Mohamed Douagi, Ana Requena-Méndez, Bouchra Assarag and 2 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in International journal of nursing studies advances, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Anissa OuahchiUniversité de Sousse, Faculté de Médecine Ibn Al Jazzar Sousse, Laboratoire de Recherche, Qualité des Soins et Management des Services de Santé Maternelle, LR12 ES 03, Tunisie. Rue Mohamed Karoui Sousse - 4002, Tunisia.
Taha MaatougUniversité de Sousse, Faculté de Médecine Ibn Al Jazzar Sousse, Laboratoire de Recherche, Qualité des Soins et Management des Services de Santé Maternelle, LR12 ES 03, Tunisie. Rue Mohamed Karoui Sousse - 4002, Tunisia.
Farah SeedatSaint George's University of London - London (United Kingdom), Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, United Kingdom.
Liv PampiriThe University of Copenhagen, Nørregade 10, PO Box 2177, 1017 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
Ali MtiraouiUniversité de Sousse, Faculté de Médecine Ibn Al Jazzar Sousse, Laboratoire de Recherche, Qualité des Soins et Management des Services de Santé Maternelle, LR12 ES 03, Tunisie. Rue Mohamed Karoui Sousse - 4002, Tunisia.
Wejdene MansourLaboratoire de Recherche Biophysique Métabolique et Pharmacologie Appliquée, LR12ES02, Faculté de Médecine Ibn Al Jazzar Sousse, Université de Sousse, Tunisia.
Abdedayem KhelifiNational Board for Family and Population (Ministry of Health-Tunisia), Rue Hattab Bouchnak Centre Urbain Nord,1082, Tunis, Tunisia.
Mohamed DouagiNational Board for Family and Population (Ministry of Health-Tunisia), Rue Hattab Bouchnak Centre Urbain Nord,1082, Tunis, Tunisia.
Ana Requena-MéndezBarcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, University of Barcelona), Spain, Campus Clínic C/ Rosselló, 132, 5th 2nd, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.
Bouchra AssaragNational School of Public Health, Ministry of Health Rabat (Morocco), Rue Lamfadel Cherkaoui, Madinat Al Irfane, Rabat BP-6329, Morocco.
Stella EvangelidouBarcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, University of Barcelona), Spain, Campus Clínic C/ Rosselló, 132, 5th 2nd, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.
Dominik ZennerQueen Mary University London - London (United Kingdom), Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Over the past decade, migration, particularly forced displacement has increased, impacting the Middle East and North Africa region. Some migrant women encounter significant healthcare access barriers, particularly with regard to maternal health. This review summarises the available evidence on maternal outcomes, as well as access to healthcare for migrant women in the region. Methods: We searched six electronic databases and grey literature for primary research from 2000-2026 with no language restrictions We used the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools for study design to evaluate the quality of the studies. The data were synthesised narratively. The protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023412011). Results: In total, we identified 11,869 papers, we included 43 peer-reviewed articles and added one grey literature paper. Miscarriage, hypertension/eclampsia, and anemia were common complications, with refugees showing higher rates of anaemia and hypertension than the host populations. Infectious diseases were also prevalent, particularly hepatitis B among Syrian refugees. Preterm birth and caesarean section rates were higher, with Palestinian refugees in Lebanon having the highest caesareans prevalence. Maternal mortality remains high, with some studies indicating a substantial number of deaths among women are caused by pregnancy-related complications. Access to antenatal care varied, and interventions improved attendance in some settings. However, barriers such as cost, cultural attitudes, and transport hindered access. Conclusion: This review highlights the significant challenges that refugee and displaced women face when trying to accessing maternal healthcare. It's important to highlight the need for targeted interventions by developing solutions to improve maternal healthcare access and outcomes in migrant communities.

Indexed as

BarriersMaternal healthMENA regionMigrantOutcomesSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID42022205
PMCPMC13098598

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.