Epidemiological Features of Spontaneous Abortion in the North Africa and the Middle East From 1990 to 2019: Results From the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Spontaneous abortion is one of the most common problems which a woman may encounter during her pregnancy which is one of the most important causes of maternal death. Therefore, the aim of this study was to report the epidemiological features of spontaneous abortion in North Africa and the Middle East (NAME) countries.

The study population included 21 countries in the NAME region with a population of more than 600 million. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 database was used.  Incidence rates, the prevalence rates, death rates, the disability adjusted life years (DALYs) rates by age-standardized rate (ASR) per 100,000 people were measured. Also, the attributed burden to iron deficiency was reported.

In 2019, the highest prevalence 39.44 (95% CI, 24.58_ 59.26) and incidence 4794.16
(95% CI, 3491.77_ 6353.03) rates of spontaneous abortion were in Afghanistan.  In 2019, the
highest spontaneous abortion related-death 5.88 (95% CI, 3.23_ 8.97) and DALYs 339.12 (95% CI, 184.29_ 516.95) rates by ASR were in Yemen. In MENA, average prevalence (44.7 to 19.82) and incidence (5434.95 to 2409.61) rates have decreased by nearly 56%, and also average death (1990 4.51 to 2019 0.48) and DALYs (263.15 to 29.37) rates have decreased by nearly 89% between 1990 and 2019. The highest spontaneous abortion-related DALYs rate was attributed to iron deficiency. In 2019, Yemen (29%) had the highest attributed burden to iron deficiency.

This study on 21 countries in the NAME region with a population of more than 600 million showed that average prevalence and incidence rates of spontaneous abortion have decreased by nearly 56%, and also average and the disability adjusted life years (DALYs) rates have decreased by nearly 89% between 1990 and 2019.