CAUSES OF MATERNAL MORTALITY IN ETHIOPIA A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN ABORTION RELATED DEATH

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although the common direct obstetric causes of maternal mortality are known fromthe literature, the contribution of each cause and the change in trend over decades is unknown inEthiopia. The objective of this review was to assess the trend of proportion of maternal mortality due tothe common direct causes.METHODS: This systematic review was done on eighteen health facility based maternal mortalitystudies conducted between 1980 and 2012 in Ethiopia. Emphasis was given to the proportion of maternalmortality due to direct causes and their case fatality rates.RESULTS: The summary of the findings has shown that the top four causes of maternal mortality in theyear 1980-1999 were abortion related complications (31%), obstructed labor/uterine rupture (29%),sepsis/infection (21%) and hemorrhage (12%). In the last decade, however, the top four causes ofmaternal mortality were obstructed labor/uterine rupture (36%), hemorrhage (22%), hypertensivedisorders of pregnancy (19%) and sepsis/infection (13%).CONCLUSION: Abortion and infection related maternal deaths have declined significantly in the lastdecade. Obstructed labor continues to be the major cause of maternal deaths; maternal deaths due tohypertensive disorders and hemorrhage showed an increasing trend. The findings in this review weresomehow comparable with the WHO analysis for Africa in the same period with the exception ofobstructed labor.