Skip to content
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
An Analysis of Pregnancy-Related Mortality in the KEMRI/CDC Health and Demographic Surveillance System in Western Kenya
PLoS ONE, Volume 8, No. 7, Article e68733, Year 2013
Notification
URL copied to clipboard!
Description
Background:Pregnancy-related (PR) deaths are often a result of direct obstetric complications occurring at childbirth.Methods and Findings:To estimate the burden of and characterize risk factors for PR mortality, we evaluated deaths that occurred between 2003 and 2008 among women of childbearing age (15 to 49 years) using Health and Demographic Surveillance System data in rural western Kenya. WHO ICD definition of PR mortality was used: "the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the cause of death". In addition, symptoms and events at the time of death were examined using the WHO verbal autopsy methodology. Deaths were categorized as either (i) directly PR: main cause of death was ascribed as obstetric, or (ii) indirectly PR: main cause of death was non-obstetric. Of 3,223 deaths in women 15 to 49 years, 249 (7.7%) were PR. One-third (34%) of these were due to direct obstetric causes, predominantly postpartum hemorrhage, abortion complications and puerperal sepsis. Two-thirds were indirect; three-quarters were attributable to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV/AIDS), malaria and tuberculosis. Significantly more women who died in lower socio-economic groups sought care from traditional birth attendants (p = 0.034), while less impoverished women were more likely to seek hospital care (p = 0.001). The PR mortality ratio over the six years was 740 (95% CI 651-838) per 100,000 live births, with no evidence of reduction over time (χ2 linear trend = 1.07; p = 0.3).Conclusions:These data supplement current scanty information on the relationship between infectious diseases and poor maternal outcomes in Africa. They indicate low uptake of maternal health interventions in women dying during pregnancy and postpartum, suggesting improved access to and increased uptake of skilled obstetric care, as well as preventive measures against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis among all women of childbearing age may help to reduce pregnancy-related mortality. © 2013.
Authors & Co-Authors
Desai, Meghna R.
Kenya, Liverpool
Kemri/cdc Research and Public Health Collaboration
United States, Atlanta
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Phillips-Howard, Penelope A.
United Kingdom, Liverpool
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Odhiambo, Frank Akoth
Kenya, Liverpool
Kemri/cdc Research and Public Health Collaboration
Katana, Abraham K.
Kenya, Liverpool
Kemri/cdc Research and Public Health Collaboration
Ouma, Peter O.
Kenya, Liverpool
Kemri/cdc Research and Public Health Collaboration
Hamel, Mary J.
United States, Atlanta
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Omoto, Jackton
Kenya, Nairobi
Ministry of Health Nairobi
Macharia, Sheila
Kenya, Nairobi
U.s. Agency for International Development
van Eijk, Anna Maria
United Kingdom, Liverpool
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Ogwang, Sheila
Kenya, Liverpool
Kemri/cdc Research and Public Health Collaboration
Slutsker, Laurence
United States, Atlanta
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Laserson, Kayla F.
United States, Atlanta
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Kenya, Liverpool
Kemri/cdc Research and Public Health Collaboration
Statistics
Citations: 60
Authors: 12
Affiliations: 5
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0068733
e-ISSN:
19326203
Research Areas
Health System And Policy
Infectious Diseases
Maternal And Child Health
Sexual And Reproductive Health
Study Locations
Kenya
Participants Gender
Female