THE LIKELY INCREASE IN MATERNAL MORTALITY-RATES IN THE UNITED-KINGDOMAND IN FRANCE UNTIL 2005

In the UK, the decline in maternal mortality rates has stopped. In Fra nce, where they are higher than in most European countries, maternal m ortality rates have been increasing since 1990. Based on the populatio n projections published by Eurostat, maternal mortality predictions ha ve been made for 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010. A rise in the level of mat ernal mortality rates of more than 0.5 per 100 000 livebirths is expec ted between now and 2005, in both countries. Tn the present context of near stability, this rise could be viewed as an important increase Ma ternal mortality rises with maternal age and the proportion of births to women over thirty is growing and will continue to rise until 2000-2 005. This structural and demographic evolution explains the expected r ise of maternal mortality rates and shows how the change in the matern al age distribution of births will affect these rates.