Table 1.

Summary of findings from empirical studies of the effect of conflict on mothers and children

Citation	Countries	Dates of study	Key findings	Study limitations
African countries
Akresh, Lucchetti, and Thirumurthy (2012)	Eritrea and Ethiopia	2002	War‐exposed children had 22% lower height‐for‐age scores than non‐war‐exposed children.	Conflict exposure measured by living in a conflict region.
Avogo and Agadjanian (2010)	Angola	2004	Child mortality was twice as high if the child experienced war‐related forced migration in the previous year.	Sample limited to two urban municipalities.
Coghlan et al. (2006)	DRC	2003–2004	The under 5 mortality rate was twice as high in health zones reporting violence as in health zones not reporting violence.	5 million people could not be included in population sampled due to security issues.
Dabelen and Paul (2014)	Cote d'Ivoire	2002–2008	Households in departments with at least one conflict event were more food insecure. Outcomes were worse for households with women and children.	No measure of intensity of conflict exposure (e.g., duration or deaths).
Delbiso et al. (2017)	Ethiopia	2000–2013	Weight‐for‐height (wasting) was lowest in drought‐prone areas. Conflict events did not have a significant impact on wasting after controlling for drought.	Used aggregate data from a variety of surveys and populations; no measure of conflict intensity.
Guha‐Sapir, van Panhuis, Degomme and Teran (2005)	Angola, DRC, Ethiopia, Sudan	2000–2004	In all countries, the conflict zones experienced higher child mortality and acute malnutrition than nationally.	Used aggregate data from a variety of surveys and populations; not nationally representative.
Kinyoki et al. (2017)	Somalia	2007–2010	Children exposed to recent conflict had a higher risk of wasting (OR = 1.38). Risk of stunting was similar. Children exposed to longer conflicts had higher risk.	No adjustment for intensity of conflict (e.g., number of deaths).
Lindskog (2016)	DRC	2007–2014	Postneonatal mortality was highest where conflict events and deaths were extremely high. Neonatal mortality was not affected by conflict levels.	Conflict levels measured at the province level.
Minoiu and Shemyakin (2014)	Cote d'Ivoire	2002–2008	Children in conflict zones had significantly lower height‐for‐age scores.	Conflict exposure measured by living in a conflict region; no measure of conflict intensity.
Namasivayam, Arcos, Castro and Chi (2017)	Uganda	1988–2011	Women in the conflict zone had lower rates of contraception use and institutional delivery but higher rates of skilled delivery.	Conflict exposure measured by living in conflict zone; no measure of conflict intensity.
Verwimp (2012)	Burundi	1998–2007	Children exposed to civil war in their area of residence had a 10% increase in the probability of dying.	Small sample size (N = 283, only 75 exposed to civil war).
Wagner et al. (2018)	35 African countries	1995–2015	The risk of infant death greatly increased when the family lived near an armed conflict. Infant deaths related to conflict were over three times the number of direct deaths from conflicts.	Lack of adjustment for migration.
Other countries
Ascherio et al. (1992)	Iraq	1991	Age‐adjusted child mortality rates were three times as high after the Gulf War in 1991 than before the war.	No measure of intensity of conflict exposure.
Guerrero‐Serdan (2009)	Iraq	2000–2006	Children born in the highest intensity conflict provinces during the Iraq war of 2003 were .8 cm shorter than children born in low conflict provinces.	Conflict exposure measured by living in a conflict region or district.
Mashal et al. (2008)	Afghanistan	2006	Internal displacement was associated with low weight‐for‐age in children.	Sample restricted to two urban districts; no direct measure of conflict exposure.
Savitz et al. (1993)	Vietnam	1960–1988	Postneonatal mortality increased significantly during the war. Neonatal mortality and childhood mortality did not change significantly during the war. There was no increase in infant or child mortality after the war.	No measure of intensity of conflict exposure.
Skokic, Muratovic and Radoja (2006)	Bosnia and Herzegovina	1988–2003	Perinatal and maternal mortality were higher during the war, mainly due to limited access to health services.	Sample restricted to mothers delivering in one canton. No adjustment for maternal or household characteristics.