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| Title: | Causes and risk factors of maternal deaths in Namibia |
| Authors: | Lihongeni, Mulama Indongo, Nelago  |
| Year: | 2014 |
| Periodical: | Journal for Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences (ISSN 2026-7215) |
| Volume: | 3 |
| Issue: | 1 |
| Pages: | 239-252 |
| Language: | English |
| Geographic term: | Namibia |
| Subject: | maternal mortality |
| Abstract: | In order to develop, implement and evaluate policy to prevent maternal deaths in Namibia, it is important that the causes be known. A retrospective audit of maternal records was conducted analyzing 154 maternal deaths recorded during the period 2008-2012. Of these 154 maternal deaths, 58.4% were direct maternal deaths and 41.6% were indirect. Hemorrhage (37.8%), eclampsia (24.4%) and puerperal sepsis (23.3%) accounted for more than 85% of direct maternal deaths. In about 65% of the hemorrhage cases, 64% of the eclampsia cases and 53% of the puerperal sepsis cases, the women lived in rural areas. Predominant - and recognizable - indirect causes were HIV (45.3%); pneumonia (23.4%) and tuberculosis (17.2%). Women living in rural areas were more likely to die from pneumonia (60%) than those in urban areas. Most women who died due to HIV were aged between 30-39 years (75.9%) while maternal deaths due to eclampsia were most common among the younger women (15-29 years). Maternal deaths occur less frequently when women live together with their partner as compared to those who do not (OR = 0.53). The study identified a range of sociodemographic, clinical and health system factors as possible contributors to maternal deaths in Namibia. Bibliogr., sum. [Journal abstract, edited] |