title: Maternal deaths: initial report of an on-going monitoring of maternal deaths at the Federal Medical Centre Katsina, Northwest Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) from data collected as maternal deaths occurred over a 4-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Departmental database established in 2008 was used to keep data on deliveries and maternal deaths as they occurred. The causes of death were decided after a meeting reviewed the case. Analysis was done using Microsoft Excel software and results presented in means and frequencies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight thousand two hundred and twenty live deliveries that occurred were complicated by 68 maternal deaths. The MMR was 827/100 000 live births. The MMR for unbooked women was four times higher than for booked women. Obstetric haemorrhage was the main (21.6%) direct cause of death followed by preeclampsia/eclampsia (18.9%). While anaemia was the leading (8.1%) indirect cause of death, tetanus in the puerperium reared its head as an emerging (5.4%) indirect cause of maternal death. None of the women ever used contraceptives. Most deaths occurred in teenage mothers (23.5%), unbooked women (86%) and in the postpartum period (69%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MMR was high and tetanus in puerperium emerged as an indirect cause of maternal deaths. There is a need to curb the emergence of tetanus in the puerperium as a cause of maternal death.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria. babakusanya@yahoo.co.uk
authors: B O
authors: BO
authors: Okusanya
authors: E O S
authors: EO
authors: Aigere
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Abe
authors: H M
authors: HM
authors: Ibrahim
authors: R A
authors: RA
authors: Salawu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D063130:Maternal Death / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008428:Maternal Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D055815:Young Adult