Maternal mortality in Cameroon: a university teaching hospital report

Abstract

More than 550,000 women die yearly from pregnancy-related causes. Fifty percent (50%) of the world estimate of maternal deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa alone. There is insufficient information on the risk factors of maternal mortality in Cameroon. This study aimed at establishing causes and risk factors of maternal mortality. This was a case-control study from 1st January, 2006 to 31st December, 2010 after National Ethical Committee Approval. Cases were maternal deaths; controls were women who delivered normally. Maternal deaths were obtained from the delivery room registers and in-patient registers. Controls for each case were two normal deliveries following identified maternal deaths on the same day. Variables considered were socio-demographic and reproductive health characteristics. Epi Info 3.5.1 was used for analysis. The mean MMR was 287.5/100,000 live births. Causes of deaths were: postpartum hemorrhage (229.2%), unsafe abortion (25%), ectopic pregnancy (12.5%), hypertension in pregnancy (8.3%), malaria (8.3%), anemia (8.3%), heart disease (4.2%), and pneumonia (4.2%), and placenta praevia (4.2%). Ages ranged from 18 to 41 years, with a mean of 27.7 ± 5.14 years. Lack of antenatal care was a risk factor for maternal death (OR=78.33; CI: (8.66- 1802.51)). The mean MMR from 2006 to 2010 was 287.5/100,000 live births. Most of the causes of maternal deaths were preventable. Lack of antenatal care was a risk factor for maternal mortality. Key words: Maternal mortality, causes, risk factors, Cameroon.

Ratios and determinants of maternal mortality: a comparison of geographic differences in the northern and southern regions of Cameroon

“…The greater risk of complications in women with no previous births may explain the high odds of maternal death for low parity. This is in line with findings from Bangladesh and other studies in Cameroon where nulliparity increased the risk of maternal mortality [32][33][34].…”

Maternal Mortality in the Main Referral Hospital in Angola, 2010-2014: Understanding the Context for Maternal Deaths Amidst Poor Documentation

“…[27] The huge difference in MMR between our finding and the Cameroonian study may partially be due to the fact that more than half of all the cases of maternal mortality in our study area was among women who were less than 20 years or more than 35 years and presented with complicated pregnancies that resulted in maternal deaths. Moreover, the difference in MMR could also be as a result of a general lack of high skilled medical doctors who have not yet specialized in obstetrics and the lack of basic obstetric diagnostic equipment’s like ultrasound machine which might have limit the quality of case management in our study area compared to the Cameroonian study that was conducted in a tertiary, research and training hospital and therefore more capable to deal with high risk pregnancies.…”

Unmet Need for Family Planning and Experience of Unintended Pregnancy Among Female Sex Workers in Urban Cameroon: Results From a National Cross-Sectional Study

“…Notably, unsafe abortions have been demonstrated to account for one-quarter of registered maternal deaths in Cameroon. 41,42 Although generalizable data are limited, abortions have been reported in both home and clinical settings and are most commonly provided by nurses, general practitioners, a friend, or through self-induction. The most commonly reported procedures are dilatation and curettage, manual vacuum aspiration, or misoprostal.…”