Effect of Women's Education, Information and Communication Technologies, and Income on Maternal Mortality: Evidence from BRIICS Countries.

Abstract

Maternal mortality has been among one of the most significant global health problems despite noteworthy decreases in maternal mortality during recent decades, and reducing maternal mortality is one of the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Objectives: This study investigates the effect of women's education, ICTs (information and communication technologies), and income level on maternal mortality in the BRIICS countries for the 2000-2020 period. Methods: Panel causality and regression approaches are employed to analyze the interaction amongst women's education, ICTs, income level, and maternal mortality. Results: The results of the causality test reveal that women's education, ICTs, and income have a significant influence on the maternal mortality ratio. Specifically, the regression results indicate that women's education, ICTs, and income have a negative effect on maternal mortality, but women's education has been identified as one of the most significant factors in reducing maternal mortality ratios. Conclusions: Institutional and legal measures to increase women's education would be useful to globally decrease maternal mortality.