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Maternal Mortality in Nigeria Compared with Earlier International Experience
Author(s) -
Hartfield V.J.
Publication year - 1980
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/j.1879-3479.1980.tb00246.x
Subject(s) - medicine , maternal death , eclampsia , developing country , incidence (geometry) , pregnancy , mortality rate , maternal mortality rate , developed country , cause of death , family medicine , obstetrics , childbirth , disease , pediatrics , population , demography , environmental health , health services , surgery , physics , pathology , biology , economics , genetics , economic growth , sociology , optics
Of 175 women dying at a nonteaching hospital, 133 succumbed for obstetric reasons after the 20th week of pregnancy, a mortality of 9.18 per 1000 live births, most commonly caused by obstructed labor, postpartum hemorrhage and eclampsia. There was a marked difference in the death rate between women who attended the antenatal clinic at least three times and those who did not, 2.85 and 27.06 per 1000, respectively, although 75% of the antenatal patients were delivered at home without medical or nursing attendants. The difference is attributed to greater use of hospital facilities by scheduled patients when trouble arose. Positive personal relationships between staff and patients in the antenatal and pediatric clinics, combined with good teaching, are essential for prevention of maternal death. Clinical research, accurate collection of data and staff experienced in local patterns of disease were major factors in lowering mortality. A review of deaths in other parts of the world is presented. Causes and incidence in developing countries are found to be similar, paralleling rates in the United States and the United Kingdom 50 and 100 years ago. The priority for world obstetric research should be general communication of scientific insights for preventing maternal death.