It contributes up to 13-15% of all deaths during the neonatal period, higher in developing countries where it contributes between 30-50% [ 2, 3].
Besides, Dr. Ibrahim said, the ministry's decision does not violate the new law, since pharmaceuticals are given a grace period until 2005 in developing countries like Egypt.
The report reckons that the annual number of illegal abortions remained at around 20m over the period, almost all in developing countries.
Because of the difficulties in assessing MMR changes over short periods of time in developing countries where complete vital registration data are not available, maternal health service indicators are employed to measure maternal health progress toward achieving the MDG for maternal health (4).
New research by the United Nations' standing committee on nutrition (available on www.unscn.org) gives a first estimate of how the crisis has hurt the group of people most affected by the crash: the very poorest.In 1990-2007, the number of hungry people rose by about 80m, though this was, by and large, a period of rising incomes in developing countries (and a huge increase in population).
"We're in a period of change, and players in developing countries are trying to catch up," said Philippe Houchois, head of European auto industry research in London for UBS.
This increase will be 69% in developing countries while developed countries will experience a 20% increase during the same period [ 1].
However, it is not clear whether recovery takes place after repeated pregnancies followed by prolonged periods of breast-feeding; especially in developing countries where nutritional intake is comparatively low.
The author worked extensively in developing countries, for a period of four years in Pakistan and for a period of just over a year in Nepal, as project director for health systems strengthening projects.
Our primary aim was to evaluate the impact of BPCR interventions involving women, families and communities during the prenatal, postnatal and neonatal periods to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in developing countries.
