Among migrants in high-income countries, maternal mortality and severe morbidity generally occur more frequently as compared to host populations. There is marked variation between groups of migrants and host countries, with much elevated risks in some groups and no elevated risk at all in others. Those without a legal resident permit are most vulnerable. A reason for these elevated risks could be a different risk profile in migrants, but risk factors are unevenly distributed and not always present. Another reason is substandard care, which is identified more frequently in migrants, and comprises patient delays, for example, due to a lack of knowledge about the health system in the host country, and health worker delays, often compounded by communication barriers. Improvements in family planning and antenatal services are needed, and audits and confidential enquiries should be extended to include maternal morbidity and ethnic background. This requires scientific and political efforts. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

maternal health services Transients and migrants Maternal mortality Pregnancy complications severe acute maternal morbidity Quality of health care

educational status prenatal care lowest income group health care policy developing country Pregnancy Complications Developing Countries human communication disorder statistics and numerical data Developed Countries priority journal ethnology asylum seeker Humans migrant Emigrants and Immigrants female risk factor postpartum hemorrhage pregnancy adolescent pregnancy standards Article pregnancy outcome migration preeclampsia developed country eclampsia maternal mortality Culturally Competent Care maternal morbidity transcultural care obstetric procedure Transients and Migrants maternal health service Maternal Health Services body mass family planning mortality Health Services Accessibility health care delivery