Maternal “near miss” and maternal mortality at a tertiary health facility in Delta State, South-South Nigeria
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Abstract
Background: Maternal mortality and morbidity statistics serve as important indicators of the quality of healthcare delivery in a country or health facility.
Aims: To determine the institutional maternal mortality ratio (MMR), maternal near miss incidence ratio (MNMR), maternal near miss to maternal mortality ratio, mortality index, and factors that contributed to maternal outcome, at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara, Delta State.
Methods: This was a retrospective study, conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, DELSUTH, Oghara. The medical records of maternal deaths and maternal “near miss”, from June 1, 2019, to June 30, 2024, were retrieved. The data analysis was with SPSS version 25. Statistical level of significance was set at P< 0.05.
Results: The study recorded 1,037 live births, 54 maternal deaths, and 129 maternal near miss events. The maternal mortality ratio was 5,200 / 100,000 live births, during the study period. The maternal near miss incidence ratio was 124.3 /1000, while the maternal near miss to mortality ratio was 2.4, and the mortality index was 29.5%. The leading cause of mortality and morbidity was hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, which accounted for 59.3% and 73.6%, respectively.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that the maternal health indices are consistent with those of an over-strained healthcare facility, reflecting the consequences of delayed presentation of complicated obstetric cases. These highlight systemic challenges in timely access to obstetric care and emphasize the importance of strengthening antenatal care and referral services.
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