title: High maternal mortality estimated by the sisterhood method in a rural area of Mali.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maternal mortality is high in Mali. Nevertheless, there are few studies on this topic from rural areas, and current estimates are mostly based on studies from urban settings. Our objective was to estimate the maternal mortality ratio in Kita, rural Mali.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the "sisterhood method", we interviewed participants aged 15-50 years from 20 villages in Kita, Mali, and thereby created a retrospective cohort of their sisters in reproductive age. Based on population and fertility estimates, we calculated the lifetime risk of maternal death, and from that the estimated approximate maternal mortality ratio.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 2,039 respondents reported 4,628 sisters who had reached reproductive age. Of these 4,628 sisters, almost a third (1,233; 27%) had died, and 429 (9%) had died during pregnancy or childbirth. This corresponded to a lifetime risk of maternal death of 20% and a maternal mortality ratio of 3,131 per 100,000 live births (95% confidence interval 2,967-3,296), with a time reference around 1999.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found a very high maternal mortality in rural Mali and this highlights the urgent need for obstetric services in the remote rural areas.
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Ingvill
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aa
authors.forename: Mari A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Grove
authors.forename: Anita H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Haugsjå
authors.forename: Sven G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Hinderaker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008302:Mali / Q000453:epidemiology; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D008429:Maternal Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult