title: A scoping review of geographic information systems in maternal health.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Geographic information systems (GIS) are increasingly recognized tools in maternal health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the use of GIS in maternal health and to identify knowledge gaps and opportunities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Keywords broadly related to maternal health and GIS were used to search for academic articles and gray literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reviewed articles focused on maternal health, with GIS used as part of the methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peer reviewed articles (n=40) and gray literature sources (n=30) were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two main themes emerged: modeling access to maternal services and identifying risks associated with maternal outcomes. Knowledge gaps included a need to rethink spatial access to maternal care in low- and middle-income settings, and a need for more explicit use of GIS to account for the geographical variation in the effect of risk factors on adverse maternal outcomes. Limited evidence existed to suggest that use of GIS had influenced maternal health policy. Instead, application of GIS to maternal health was largely influenced by policy priorities in global maternal health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Investigation of the role of GIS in contributing to future policy directions is warranted, particularly for elucidating determinants of global maternal health.
authors.affiliation: Health Geography Research Group, Geography Department, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada; Department of Surveying and Geomatics, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe. Electronic address: pmakanga@sfu.ca.
authors.forename: Prestige T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Makanga
authors.affiliation: Health Geography Research Group, Geography Department, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schuurman
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cardiovascular Sciences Research Centre, St George's, University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: von Dadelszen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, New Westminster, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Tabassum
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Firoz
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014943:Global Health / Q000639:trends; D006291:Health Policy / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D000068097:Maternal Health; D008427:Maternal Health Services
keywords: Geographic information systems; Global health; Health policy; Health services; Maternal health; Spatial access; Spatial epidemiology