A six-year review of maternal mortality in a teaching hospital in Addis Ababa
Yoseph, S.; Kifle, G.
Ethiopian Medical Journal 26(3): 115-120
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0014-1755 PMID: 3416842 Document Number: 314109
The case notes of all patients who died over the January 1980 to December 1985 period in Tikur Anbessa Teaching Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as a result of conditions associated with pregnancy, labor, and puerperium were reviewed in an effort to identify the most common causes of maternal death. Postpartum autopsy seldom was possible; consequently, the cause of death was based on clinical findings only. 216 deaths occurred over the 6-year period; there were 22,404 live births in the same period, giving a maternal mortality rate (MMR) of 9.6/1000. This rate included deaths from complications following abortions. 197 of the deaths occurred in women who were not booked into Tikur Anbessa Hospital. In terms of direct causes of death, abortion, puerperal sepsis, and ruptured uterus together accounted for 75.9% of deaths. Of indirect causes, infectious hepatitis, relapsing fever, and malaria accounted for 56.8% of deaths. Of deaths due to abortion, 21/48 occurred in nulliparas, and 25 were below age 19. Of the deaths caused by ruptured uterus, 20/29 occurred in multipara, and all of those women were from rural areas. The majority of deaths from hepatitis occurred in the 30-34 years age group. In Ethiopia, the maternal mortality rate is high because of both poor or inadequate antenatal and postnatal care as well as because of poor transportation and communication systems.