Maternal morbidity is a concept of increasing interest in maternal health. This review aims to assess the contributory factors for severe maternal morbidity over the past one decade worldwide. A comprehensive electronic search was conducted. The search was restricted to articles written in the English language published from 2004 to 2013. Qualitative studies were excluded. A total of 24 full articles were retrieved of which 9 cohort, 7 case–control, 3 cross-sectional studies, and 5 unmentioned designs were included. The contributory factors were divided into 3 components: (a) sociodemographic characteristics, (b) medical and gynecological history, and (c) past and present obstetric performance. This review informs emerging knowledge regarding contributory factors for severe maternal morbidity and has implications for education, clinical practice and intervention. It enables a better understanding of the problem and serves as a foundation for the development of an effective preventive strategy for maternal morbidity and mortality.
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