Assessment Of The Status Of Maternal Mortality In Meatu District

ABSTRACT

This study assessed the status of maternal mortality in Meatu District in Mwasengela, Ng‟hanga and Mwabulutagu villages. The specific objectives of the study were to assess the magnitude of maternal mortality due to child birth; to assess how household economic status affects maternal deaths and to suggest intervention measures to be undertaken to mitigate maternal deaths. Data were collected through interviews, questionnaires and documentation. The data collected were arranged in various categories of information and worked with the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer program. Simple quantitative techniques such as calculating totals, tables, graphs and percentages were also involved. The finding revealed that there were remarkable decreases in the number of maternal deaths from 8 in 2007 to 3 in 2011as it has observed from the documentation. The study further revealed that there was a negative relationship between the income of the household and the maternal deaths. Poor households income earners found in the study area are the most vulnerable to have access to adequate maternal health services; long distance to and from the health facilities, insufficient medical staff and inadequate supplies and equipment to health facilities are major contributing factors to maternal death in the study area. Moreover, the study found that poor attendance for antenatal care for the pregnant women, poor roads, few health facilities and poor quality health services in the area were the major factors associated to maternal death. The study recommends that the implementation of programme of health facilities to each village through Health Sector Development Grant (HSDG) programme would improve the maternal health services to the local community where by each pregnant woman could be accessed to maternal health services.