title: Mortality related to caesarean section in rural Matebeleland North Province, Zimbabwe.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe mortality related to Caesarean sections as well as factors associated with these deaths.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven district hospitals in Matebeleland North.
  
  
  METHODS
  Proportion of Caesarean sections that resulted in maternal deaths, and the causes thereof.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1093 Caesarean sections were carried out over a 3 year period; 18 women (1.6%) died within 42 days of the operation, 15 of them within 24 hours. Haemorrhage was the major cause of death. A major association with adverse outcome was delayed intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The decision to perform a CS should take into account local circumstances. Symphysiotomy remains an alternative under the prevailing socio-economic climate. Tubal ligation at the time of a CS must be made available to women who have completed their family to prevent complications in successive pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: sandra.rutgers@freeler.nl
authors.forename: R A K
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rutgers
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Eygen
mesh_terms: D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006767:Hospitals, District / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality / Q000639:trends; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology