Maternal Mortality in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Service of Regional Hospital Center of Ouahigouya: Epidemiological, Etiological Aspects and Contributing Factors—About 151 Cases Collected in Three Years from 1st January 2013 to 31 December 2015

The objective of our study was to study the epidemiological, etiological and contributory factors of maternal deaths in the obstetrics and gynecology department of the regional hospital center (RHC) of Ouahigouya from 2013 to 2015. We carried out a descriptive and analytical study on maternal deaths in maternity of the RHC of Ouahigouya, including all patients who died in the obstetrics and gynecology department of the RHC of Ouahigouya from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2015, which meets WHO’s definition of maternal death. We recorded 151 maternal deaths and 5481 live births, a maternal mortality ratio of 2755 per 100,000 live births. The most affected women were women aged 20 - 24 years (27.8%), multiparous (25.5%), married women (88.7%) and those without income-generating activities (85.4%). The main causes of death from direct obstetrical complications were hemorrhage (38.3%), infections (21.5%), abortions (16.8%) and complications of hypertension disorders (15.8%) and for indirect obstetrical complications, malaria (36.6%), anemia (29.5%), and HIV/AIDS (9.1%). Contributing factors to maternal deaths prior to admission were delay in referral (33.3%) and delay in transfer (31.5%) and delay in admission (32.8%) and delay in diagnosis (23.4). From our study, it appears elsewhere as well as that most maternal deaths are preventable, hence the need for coordinated actions to effectively fight against maternal mortality.