Abstract
Maternal and neonatal mortality has remained a public health challenge in developing countries, particularly in Zambia despite the efforts to improve access and use of maternal health care services universally. Majority of these maternal deaths could be prevented by ensuring access to good-quality maternal health services, such as antenatal and postnatal care, and skilled attendance during child birth, including emergency obstetric care. This study explored the perspectives of midwives on factors influencing maternal morbidity and mortality rates in Zambia. A qualitative approach was utilized for this study to identify the experiences as described by the participants. This study was carried out in Lusaka urban and Mumbwa rural districts. Focus groups discussions were utilized to collect data. The challenges in the provision of care was understaffing and lack of infrastructure, fear of HIV test, attitude of the midwives, trusting herbal medicines, poverty, congestion at the hospitals and distance to health care facilities were mentioned as underlining causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. Equipping midwives with supplies and required equipment in antenatal and postnatal areas may help alleviate the challenges midwives face in the delivery of care Key words: Midwifery, midwives, midwives perspectives, maternal morbidity, mortality.
Highlights
Maternal death refers to death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but no from accidental or incidental causes (WHO, 2012)
Maternal morbidity and mortality are on the increase
Midwives who took part in the focus group discussion had several views regarding the cause of this maternal morbidity and mortality
Summary
Maternal death refers to death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but no from accidental or incidental causes (WHO, 2012). Indirect obstetric deaths are related to the aggravation of preexisting diseases or diseases that develop during pregnancy due to physiologic effects of pregnancy. These may be cardiac disorders, neoplasms, endocrine conditions or infections such as HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. About 810 women die each day due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth (WHO, 2019). In 2017, about 295,000 women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth (WHO, 2019). Most of these deaths, 277,300 (94%) happened in low-resource settings. Out of the 295,000 global estimated maternal deaths, 86% (254,000) happened in the Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. It is worthy to note that, the majority of these deaths could have been prevented (WHO, 2019)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
