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  • Title: Maternal mortality at Ilorin, Nigeria.
    Author: Adetoro OO, Okwerekwu FO.
    Journal: Trop J Obstet Gynaecol; 1988; 1(1):18-22. PubMed ID: 12179282.
    Abstract:
    The objectives of this study are to determine the trend of maternal mortality at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, to identify the causes of death, and to identify ways of minimizing the frequency of preventable deaths. Analysis of 75 cases of maternal deaths seen over 3 1/2 years (January 1983-June 1986) was conducted. During this period, there were 26,905 births, giving a maternal mortality rate of 279/100,000. 84% of the deaths were due to direct causes while the remaining 16% were classified under the indirect and pregnancy related categories. The main direct causes of death include hemorrhage (35.6%), septicemia (24.7%), and anemia (13.7%). Other direct obstetric causes include eclampsia, anesthetic death, hemoglobinopathy, and ruptured uterus. The most important indirect causes were native drug intoxication (6.8%), fulminant hepatitis (5.5%), and pulmonary embolism (2.7%). The maternal mortality was highest in the age ranges 25-29 years (31.5%). Median age and parity were 27 years and 4.5 respectively. While the maternal mortality rate of 2.8/1000 is an improvement over the previous years' (1972-1982) record of 4.3/1000, it is still unacceptable. The majority of these deaths could have been prevented if delivery had occurred in a well equipped hospital where blood transfusion and surgical facilities are available, if sterile manipulations for pregnant women had been employed, if appropriate antenatal care was available, and if specialist anesthetist services were accessible. Recommendations to reduce the maternal mortality rate include improved education and training of traditional birth attendants, improved immunization of women against tetanus, and increased community involvement through education. Furthermore, policy makers must set new priorities such as encouraging greater investment in improving clinics and hospital facilities, improving access to contraception, increasing awareness of the magnitude of the problem and encouraging community leadership and action.
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