Conflict and Consequence: Evaluating the Impact of Armed Conflicts on Maternal Health Outcomes in Africa

This dissertation undertakes a systematic literature review to critically examine the impact of armed conflict on maternal health outcomes across Africa. Synthesizing peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2023, it interrogates patterns of maternal mortality and morbidity, disparities in access to care, and the distinct vulnerabilities faced by host populations, refugees, and internally displaced persons. Through a thematic synthesis approach, the study uncovers how conflict disrupts health systems, exacerbates workforce shortages, impedes service accessibility, and amplifies funding inequities. It further highlights innovative, locally led responses that emerge in fragile settings. By illuminating the structural and intersectional ways in which warfare endangers maternal well-being, this research contributes to global health scholarship and calls for context-sensitive policy reforms to strengthen resilience in conflict-affected health systems.