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. 2020 Feb 1;20(1):157.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-8179-x.

Maternal mortality by socio-demographic characteristics and cause of death in South Africa: 2007-2015

Nolunkcwe J Bomela  1
Affiliations

Maternal mortality by socio-demographic characteristics and cause of death in South Africa: 2007-2015

Nolunkcwe J Bomela. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: South Africa's maternal mortality ratio remains high although it has substantially declined in the past few years. Numerous studies undertaken in South Africa on maternal mortality have not paid much attention to how the causes are distributed in different socio-demographic groups. This study assesses and analyses the causes of maternal mortality according to sociodemographic factors in South Africa.

Methods: The causes of maternal deaths were assessed with respect to age, province, place of death, occupation, education and marital status. Data were obtained from the vital registration database of Statistics South Africa. About 14,892 maternal deaths of women from 9 to 55 years of age were analysed using frequency tables, cross-tabulations and logistic regression. Maternal mortality ratio (MMR), by year, age group, and province for the years 2007-2015 was calculated.

Results: The 2007-2015 MMR was 139.3 deaths per 100,000 live births (10,687,687 total live births). The year 2009 had the highest MMR during this period. Specific province MMR for three triennia (2007-2009; 2010-2012; 2013-2015) shows that the Free State province had the highest MMR (297.9/100000 live births; 214.6/100000 live births; 159/100000 live births) throughout this period. MMR increased with age. Although the contribution of the direct causes of death (10603) was more than double the contribution of indirect causes (4289) maternal mortality showed a steady decline during this period.

Conclusions: The study shows evidence of variations in the causes of death among different socio-demographic subgroups. These variations indicate that more attention has to be given to the role played by socio-demographic factors in maternal mortality.

Keywords: Maternal mortality; Socio-demographic; South Africa.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author declares that he/she has no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Maternal deaths reported to DHA: South Africa 2007 and 2015. Source: Statistics South Africa
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Maternal mortality ratio per 100 00 live births by year: South Africa 2007–2015. Source: computed from 2007 to 2015 maternal deaths and live births data. Statistics South Africa
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births by province: South Africa 2007–2015
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Maternal mortality ratio by age: South Africa 2007–2015
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Cause-specific proportionate maternal mortality: South Africa 2007–2015
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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