ReviewAfrican health sciences2022
Why mothers die at a busy tertiary urban hospital in Kampala, Uganda: a comprehensive review of maternal deaths 2016-2018 and implications for quality improvement to reduce deaths.
Review in African health sciences, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed.
- Safety and immunogenicity of an acellular pertussis vaccine containing genetically detoxified pertussis toxin administered to pregnant women living with and without HIV and their newborns (WoMANPOWER): a randomised controlled trial in Uganda.The Lancet. Global health · 2025Trial
- Lived experiences of women prescribed low-dose aspirin for preeclampsia prevention: a phenomenological study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Postpartum Cardiovascular Health in African Women Following Pre-Eclampsia: A Prospective Cohort Study.BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology · 2025Article
- Maternal Death: Retrospective Autopsy Study in Southwestern Colombia, 2000-2023.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Observational
- Variations in emergency care for severe pre-eclampsia in Uganda: a national evaluation study.AJOG global reports · 2025Article
- Determinants of birth preparedness and complications readiness among mothers attending the antenatal care clinic at Katakwi General Hospital, Eastern Uganda: a cross-sectional study.The Pan African medical journal · 2025Article
- Implementation challenges in preeclampsia care: perspectives from health care professionals in urban Uganda.AJOG global reports · 2024Article
- Exploring variations in the implementation of a health system level policy intervention to improve maternal and child health outcomes in resource limited settings: A qualitative multiple case study from Uganda.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- Editorial.African health sciences · 2022Article
- Barriers and facilitators to maternal death surveillance and response at a busy urban National Referral Hospital in Uganda.Open research Africa · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Reviewing maternal deaths and drawing out lessons for clinical practice is part of an effective cohesive intervention strategy to reduce future deaths. Objective: To review maternal deaths at the National Referral hospital in Kampala over a 3-year period (2016-2018) to determine causes of death, extent of preventability, proportion of deaths notified and audited as per national guidelines. Methods: Trained-multidisciplinary panels (obstetricians and senior midwives) conducted retrospective reviews of maternal deaths that occurred. Results: Major causes of deaths: obstetric haemorrhage (158/350; 45%), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (87/350; 25%) and infection (95/350; 27%). Overall, 294/350 (84%) of maternal deaths were considered preventable. In 95% (332/350) of cases, delays within healthcare facilities were identified (64%; 226/350). We note that only 115/350 (33%) cases had been audited. This proportion did not change during the studied period. In 48% (167/350) of cases, notification to the Ministry of Health occurred, but only 11% of deaths (39/350) were notified within the recommended 24-hours. Conclusions: A high proportion (84%) of deaths were preventable. Significant delays to care occurred within health-care facilities. Results suggest that a well-supported, and timely maternal death review process with targeted and pragmatic interventions might be effective in reducing maternal deaths in this setting.
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