title: Maternal mortality in a transitional hospital in Enugu, south east Nigeria.
abstract: Nigeria has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world. The study was to determine the trend of maternal mortality ratio in the hospital as it transits from a General through a Specialist to a Teaching hospital. It was a retrospective review of maternal deaths at Enugu State University Teaching Hospital Parklane, over its 5 year transition period (January 2004 to December 2008). There were 7146 live births and 60 maternal deaths giving an overall maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 840/100,000 livebirths. The MMR rose from 411 to 1137/100,000 live births as a specialist hospital, with a decline to 625/100,000 as a Teaching hospital. Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia was the leading cause (29.63%) of maternal death. MMR was highest as a Specialist hospital due to limited manpower and inadequate facilities to properly manage the rising number of referred obstetric emergencies. Adequate preparations should be made before upgrading a hospital, to enable it cope with the challenges of managing referred obstetric emergencies
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics/Gynaecology, Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu, Nigeria. ezugwueuzebus@yahoo.com
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Ezugwu
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Onah
authors.forename: F O
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Ezugwu
authors.forename: I I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Okafor
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies