Effect of inter-pregnancy interval and maternal morbidity on perinatal mortality: a mediation perspective

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the effect of primigravid status, short and long Inter-Pregnancy Interval effects on perinatal mortality when Maternal Morbidity is mediated. Study design: 2344 women’s obstetrical files of Kibagabaga District hospital are analyzed. Using a mediation analysis, we estimate the effect of inter-pregnancy interval on maternal morbidity and perinatal mortality. Result: In contrast to other findings linking IPI length and maternal or perinatal mortality, no significant effect of short IPI is observed in this study. We find a mediation effect of primigravida status and long IPI on perinatal mortality, and a consistent effect of these factors on both maternal morbidity and perinatal mortality. Conclusion: Findings of this study show a lien between first pregnancies and those conceived after 59 months, and therefore call for more efforts in the improvement of the availability and accessibility of good quality antenatal care and delivery services that are urgently needed, with a special focus on sensitizing primigravid women to use regular antenatal checks.