Determinants of Maternal Mortality in Eritrea

Abstract

Objective: This study was undertaken with a general objective of determining the determinants of maternal mortality in Eritrea.
Methods: The study was a case control study which compared 50 women whose pregnancies led to death with 50 individually matched women that survived a severe life threatening obstetric complication in the same community.
Findings: From the comparison of maternal deaths (cases) and survivors of severe life threatening obstetric complications (controls), seeking medical care on the part of the survivors was significantly more frequent in both bivariate and multivariate analysis than was the case in those who died and was probably protective.
Conclusion: The study concluded that seeking medical care was negatively associated with maternal death and was probably protective.

Keywords: maternal deaths, near misses, determinants, antenatal care, delivery, seeking medical care, warning signs