Premium
A mixed‐methods study of maternal near miss and death after emergency cesarean delivery at a referral hospital in Somaliland
Author(s) -
Abdillahi Hamda A.,
Hassan Khadra A.,
Kiruja Jonah,
Osman Fatumo,
Egal Jama A.,
KlingbergAllvin Marie,
Erlandsson Kerstin
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1002/ijgo.12176
Subject(s) - medicine , referral , near miss , eclampsia , cesarean delivery , informed consent , maternal morbidity , maternal death , obstetrics , medical emergency , emergency medicine , pregnancy , family medicine , population , environmental health , alternative medicine , forensic engineering , pathology , biology , engineering , genetics
Objective To explore maternal near miss and death after emergency cesarean delivery in Somaliland, including the impact of the prerequisite for family consent. Methods A facility‐based, mixed‐methods study was conducted to assess all maternal near misses and deaths recorded at a referral hospital that provided services to women from all regions of Somaliland. The data sources comprised a quantitative prospective cross‐sectional study using the WHO near‐miss tool (performed from August 1 to December 31, 2015) and qualitative interviews with 17 healthcare providers working at the referral hospital who were in direct contact with the women in labor (performed from January 15 to March 15, 2015). Results Of the 138 maternal near misses and deaths recorded, 50 (36%) were associated with emergency cesarean delivery. The most frequent maternal complication was severe pre‐eclampsia (n=17; 34%), and the most frequent underlying causes were hypertensive disorders (n=31; 62%) and obstetric hemorrhage (n=15; 30%). Healthcare providers were often prevented from performing emergency cesarean delivery until the required consent had been received from the woman's extended family. Conclusion Maternity care in Somaliland must be improved, and the issue of legal authority for consent examined, to ensure both safe and timely provision of emergency cesarean delivery.