Maternal morbidity: results of a country-wide review.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of maternal morbidity and to identify its main causes in Jordan.


METHODS
A national cohort sample of pregnant women was enrolled before their 22nd week of gestation, and was followed-up throughout the antenatal period, labour and puerperium. A total of 4,501 women were included in the study. A total of 80 physicians were responsible for completing the questionnaire and data sheet.


RESULTS
The overall morbidity rate was 60.8%. The morbidity rate during the ante natal period was 41.3%. During labour and delivery, 34.5% of women suffered from at least one morbid condition. In the puerperium, 18.7% of women suffered from one or more morbidities. The caesarean sections rate was 27.7%. The prevalence of anaemia at enrolment and delivery were 20.1 and 26.3%, respectively. The commonest morbidities of the antenatal period were urinary tract infections at 20.2% and genital infections at 19.4%. Parity of >4 was independently related to increased morbidity during the antenatal period and labour but not in the puerperium. There were no maternal mortalities.


CONCLUSIONS
Parity of >4 was a significant predictor of antenatal period and intrapartum morbidity. The commonest maternal morbidities were urinary tract infections, vaginal genital infections and anaemia.
Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan.
Ahmad
A
Quteitat
Isam
I
Shraideh
Abdel Malek Abdel
AM
Malek
Ahmad
A
Gowieri
Hyam
H
Alnashash
Zouhair O
ZO
Amarin
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D016304:Hospitals, Private; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D016015:Logistic Models; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010298:Parity; D058725:Peripartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D060737:Reproductive Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult