ABSTRACT
The safe motherhood initiative was launched by WHO 1987 as a global effort with the target of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity by fifty percent by the year 2000. Despite this progress, pregnancy related deaths remain a significant public health issue, because one third to one half of pregnancy related deaths are considered preventable. Also, it was estimated that the highest risk occurs in Africa with 40% of the world maternal deaths. So the aim of this work is to study changes in the maternal mortality ratio and its underlying causes over the last ten years in Egypt Also, to study the effect of family planning services on such trend by examining some impact and process indicators. Data about maternal deaths, demographic data, fertility data and maternal health services were collected from official sources for the period from 1990-2000. Maternal Mortality Ratio [MMR], Proportionate Maternal Mortality Rate [PMM] and cause specific maternal mortality ratio were also calculated. The result of the study revealed that there was a continuous declining trend of all studied ratios and haemorrhage was the leading contributor to maternal mortality in Egypt through the studied period account for more than 50% of maternal deaths. As regard the trend of some maternal health care facilities provided by ministry of health and population [MOH and P], there was an increase in the trend over the studied years. The number of family planning units had also increased. There was a steady decline trend in the early 1990s of both Total Fertility Rate [TFR] and age specific fertility rates, while in late 1990s the trend was more or less raising. The trend of early pregnancy showed slight increase while at the same time the trend of late pregnancy showed slight decrease. So we can say that the health policy in Egypt was in line with the global health policy which aimed to achieve health for all the year 2000. The study also concluded that the maternal mortality ratios in Egypt decreased during the study period 1990-2000 which coincided with the increase in health services particularly those related to mothers