Table 1 Description of the variables included in this study: mean ± standard deviation in 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015 in OECD countries

Low weight at birth (per 100 new-borns)

6.2 ± 1.5

6.4 ± 1.5

6.5 ± 1.6

6.5 ± 1.6

 Women in general population (percentage)

51.1 ± 0.9

51.0 ± 0.9

51.0 ± 1.0

50.9 ± 1.0

 Fertility rate (per woman in fertility age)

1.67 ± 0.41

1.65 ± 0.38

1.74 ± 0.37

1.68 ± 0.35

 Natality rate (per 1000 inhabitants)

12.38 ± 3.64

11.82 ± 3.01

12.26 ± 3.33

10.89 ± 2.80

 Per capita GDP (thousand $)

19.8 ± 12.3

31.2 ± 18.4

37.8 ± 22.0

36.8 ± 21.5

 Number of cigarettes per smoker and day

14.6 ± 2.9

14.4 ± 2.1

13.7 ± 2.1

12.0 ± 2.2

 Ethanol (yearly litres per capita)

9.4 ± 3.1

9.7 ± 2.9

9.2 ± 2.4

8.7 ± 2.5

 People aged 15–24 reporting good health (percentage)

82.1 ± 9.9

89.4 ± 7.8

89.3 ± 11.5

89.5 ± 9.3

 People aged 25–44 reporting good health (percentage)

74.4 ± 13.7

80.1 ± 11.2

81.8 ± 13.0

82.1 ± 11.2

 Breast cancer screening (coverage in percentage)

47.0 ± 30.8

53.7 ± 23.0

59.6 ± 19.0

57.1 ± 18.9

 Cervical cancer screening (coverage in percentage)

64.5 ± 22.0

55.9 ± 21.4

55.2 ± 18.4

56.9 ± 17.8

 Investment in health care (percentage of GDP)

7.2 ± 1.7

8.0 ± 1.9

8.8 ± 2.1

8.9 ± 2.3

 Health care coverage (percentage)

98.7 ± 3.8

96.8 ± 8.5

97.9 ± 4.4

97.7 ± 3.8

 Public health system coverage (percentage)

94.3 ± 16.5

93.1 ± 16.4

95.4 ± 13.1

95.1 ± 12.3

 Private health system coverage (percentage)

5.0 ± 14.2

4.7 ± 13.5

3.1 ± 10.9

3.7 ± 12.1

 Hospitals per million inhabitants

35.1 ± 20.4

33.3 ± 17.4

30.6 ± 14.2

29.3 ± 14.8

 Health care workers (per 1000 inhabitants)

41.4 ± 20.6

43.0 ± 22.7

46.0 ± 24.5

48.3 ± 22.6

 Physicians (per 1000 inhabitants)

2.70 ± 0.65

2.90 ± 0.68

3.11 ± 0.73

3.31 ± 0.71

 General practitioners (per 1000 inhabitants)

0.93 ± 0.40

0.96 ± 0.55

0.94 ± 0.53

1.06 ± 0.48

 Paediatricians (per 1000 inhabitants)

0.13 ± 0.07

0.13 ± 0.06

0.14 ± 0.07

0.16 ± 0.08

 Obstetricians (per 1000 inhabitants)

0.13 ± 0.05

0.13 ± 0.05

0.14 ± 0.05

0.15 ± 0.06

 Obstetricians (per 1000 births)

11.5 ± 6.3

11.9 ± 6.0

12.0 ± 5.8

15.7 ± 7.5

 Midwifes (per 1000 inhabitants)

0.34 ± 0.19

0.32 ± 0.21

0.35 ± 0.21

0.38 ± 0.25

 Midwifes (per 1000 births)

31.5 ± 17.3

29.6 ± 17.1

29.9 ± 14.9

33.7 ± 16.1

 Nurses (no midwifes) (per 1000 inhabitants)

8.30 ± 3.47

8.98 ± 3.79

10.0 ± 4.35

9.77 ± 4.65

 Average length of admission due to pregnancy

4.1 ± 1.2

3.9 ± 1.1

3.7 ± 1.0

3.5 ± 0.9

 Average length of admission due to single birth

3.6 ± 1.4

3.4 ± 1.2

3.1 ± 1.1

3.0 ± 1.1

 Average length of admission due to other births

6.0 ± 2.5

5.6 ± 2.0

4.8 ± 1.5

4.4 ± 1.3

 Average length of admission due to puerperium-associated complications

4.3 ± 0.9

4.2 ± 1.2

3.9 ± 0.8

3.8 ± 0.6

 Caesarean rate (per 1000 new-borns)

180.8 ± 49.4

228.9 ± 68.1

265.5 ± 76.0

251.9 ± 72.5