Predictors of postpartum hemorrhage at public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A case-control study

Abstract

IntroductionPostpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is responsible for half of all maternal deaths during childbirth. Despite being preventable and curable, PPH remains the leading cause of maternal death in Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the determinants of PPH among women delivered at public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2022. MethodsA facility-based, unmatched case control study with 378 study participants was carried out in selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Women who gave birth and developed PPH were considered cases, while women who gave birth in public hospitals in Addis Ababa and did not develop PPH were controls. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors of PPH. Variables was considered statistically significant in the final model if their p-value was less than 0.05. ResultsThe result of this study identified that antenatal care follow-up (AOR: 2.58; 95% CI: 1.12, 5.96), history of cesarean delivery (AOR: 3.47; 95% CI: 1.40, 8.58), prolonged labor (AOR: 5.14; CI: 2.07, 12.75), and genital trauma apart from episiotomy (AOR: 4.39; CI: 1.51, 12.81) were determinants of PPH. ConclusionAccording to the finding of this study duration of labor, history of cesarean section, antenatal care follow-up, and genital trauma other than episiotomy were independent determinants of PPH. Therefore, it is crucial to screen and closely monitor high-risk mothers during antepartum care visit, including those who have a history of cesarean delivery.