Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40936076›Full record

ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2025

Trends in maternal mortality and stillbirths by county in health facility data, Kenya, 2011-2022.

Rose Muthee, Martin Mutua, Helen Kiarie, Hannah Kagiri, Edward Serem, Simon Muchemi, Scolastica Wabwire, Ties Boerma

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Letter to the editor: Perinatal mortality in eastern Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2026
    Article
  2. Measurement of maternal mortality, United Republic of Tanzania.Bulletin of the World Health Organization · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Rose MutheeMinistry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya. mutheewanjiru@gmail.com.
Martin MutuaAfrican Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya.
Helen KiarieMinistry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya.
Hannah KagiriMinistry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya.
Edward SeremMinistry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya.
Simon MuchemiMinistry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya.
Scolastica WabwireMinistry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya.
Ties BoermaUniversity of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

Funding

Gates Foundation INV-003416
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundReports on maternal deaths and stillbirths in health facilities are a critical but underutilized source of information to monitor the quality of care. In addition, with increasing coverage of deliveries by health facilities, such data can improve population estimates of maternal mortality and stillbirth rates. Data quality concerns, however, have often deterred use of facility data. This study aims to assess subnational trends in institutional mortality and examine its utility for improving population-based estimates of mortality.

methodsData from the routine monthly reporting system of the Ministry of Health in Kenya were used to assess levels and trends in maternal mortality and stillbirth rates in 47 counties from 2011 to 2022. Data quality was assessed using multiple methods, including consistency of annual reporting of live births, stillbirths and maternal deaths by counties, plausibility of the ratio of reported stillbirths to maternal death, the county institutional mortality in comparison to delivery coverage, socioeconomic development and health system characteristics. The consistency between institutional and population estimates of mortality was assessed using different scenarios.

resultsInstitutional live birth coverage increased from 64.0% in 2014 to 87.8% in 2022, ranging from 49 to 99% in counties. Kenya and 39 of its 47 counties experienced a decline in institutional maternal mortality ratio and stillbirth rate during the study period 2011-2022. The national institutional maternal mortality decline stagnated from 2018 and was 99 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2022. Consistency of reported data by county was good over time but several indicators suggest that maternal death reporting was incomplete and more so in less-developed counties. Estimates of the population maternal mortality ratio, derived from the facility data, were much lower than global estimates or census results, while the stillbirth rates were consistent.

conclusionThe health facility data on maternal death and stillbirths are an important data source for monitoring national and subnational institutional maternal mortality and stillbirth rates and can also inform population estimates. Systematic sustained assessment of reporting completeness will be critical to achieve the full potential of facility data-derived mortality monitoring.

Indexed as

Health FacilitiesMaternal MortalityStillbirthAdultFemaleHumansKenyaLive BirthPregnancyData qualityHealth facility dataKenyaMaternal mortalityStillbirths

Identifiers

PMID40936076
PMCPMC12427102

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.