Tegene Legese, Kebadnew Mulatu and Tensay Kahsay
Maternal death is high in developing countries due to five major direct obstetric complications: hemorrhage, infection, unsafe abortion, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and obstructed labor. 70–80% of maternal death is due to direct obstetric causes (complications of pregnancy, labor, delivery or the postpartum period). Indirect causes of maternal death account for women who die from any other disease during pregnancy. Indirect causes represent a varying spectrum of the burden of maternal deaths (4% in Latin America, 13% in Asia and 17% in Africa). The aim of this study was to asses Trends and determinants of maternal mortality in Mizan-Tepi university Teaching and Bonga general hospital from 2011 – 2015.
Method: A case control study was conducted. A total of 975 charts, 195 cases and 780 controls were reviewed for the study. Pre-tested and structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Both bi-variate and multivariate logistic regression were carried out to assess the association of independent variables with hypertension and P value <0.05 was considered as significant.
Result: A total of 595(119 cases and 476 controls) charts were included in the analysis. The trends of maternal mortality are fluctuating over the year. Attending ANC (AOR = 2.4, 95%CI 1.19 -4.83), length of labor (AOR= 4, 95% CI. 1.86-8.74), Presence of obstetric complications (AOR =7.2, 95% CI 3.08, 16.72), uterine rupture (AOR= 11.4 95% CI 4.27, 30.41), abnormal puerperium (AOR= 10.9, 95% CI 1.96, 59.97), and antenatal risks(AOR= 3.8, 95% CI 1.64,8.61) were found to be significant factors that influence maternal mortality
Conclusion and recommendation: The pattern of maternal death fluctuates over time. Women who do not have ANC follow up; presence of obstetric complications, women who had ante or intra natal risks and women who had prolonged labour increases the likelihood of maternal death. Health professionals including HEWs should have to work in strengthen approach to improve awareness of the community about pregnancy, its complication and co morbidities, and ANC uptake. Academicians andresearchers should dig out others cause and alternative solution for maternal death.
