title: Maternal deaths attributable to hypertensive disorders in a tertiary hospital in Ghana.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the contribution of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy to maternal deaths at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra, Ghana.
  
  
  METHODS
  The retrospective descriptive study conducted at KBTH during 2010-2011 involved a comprehensive review of all maternal deaths attributable to hypertensive disorders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 21 385 deliveries, 21742 live births, and 199 maternal deaths, resulting in a maternal mortality ratio of 915.3 per 100000 live births. In total, 63 (31.7%) maternal deaths were attributable to hypertensive disorders with a case fatality rate of 3.9%. The incidence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was 7.6%. Hypertensive disorders were the most common direct cause of maternal death followed by obstetric hemorrhage (26.6%), unsafe abortion (11.1%), and puerperal sepsis (3.5%). Most (38.1%) hypertension-related maternal deaths occurred within 24hours of admission and the majority (79.4%) had been referred. Eclampsia was the leading immediate cause of hypertension-related death (23.8%), followed by acute renal failure (20.6%), intracerebral hemorrhage (15.9%), and pulmonary edema (12.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypertensive diseases are the leading cause of maternal death at KBTH, having overtaken obstetric hemorrhage, with eclampsia, acute renal failure, intracerebral hemorrhage, and pulmonary edema representing the major immediate causes of hypertension-related maternal death.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana. Electronic address: bonsaffoh@yahoo.com.
authors: Kwame
authors: K
authors: Adu-Bonsaffoh
authors: Samuel A
authors: SA
authors: Oppong
authors: Oppong A
authors: OA
authors: Samuel
authors: Godwin
authors: G
authors: Binlinla
authors: Samuel A
authors: SA
authors: Obed
authors: Obed A
authors: OA
authors: Samuel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D004461:Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D015994:Incidence; D063130:Maternal Death / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Eclampsia; Hypertensive disorders; Maternal death; Pre-eclampsia