A Qualitative Inquiry Into Midwives' Experiences of Participating in Maternal Death Audit in the Upper East Region of Ghana'.

Introduction: A maternal death audit is an in-depth systematic review of maternal deaths to delineate their underlying health and other contributory factors. The process of maternal death audits has been seen as a training and development opportunity for midwives. The lessons learned from such audits have been shown to be useful in helping midwives improve their care practices and significantly reduce labour-related maternal mortality. Objective: This study explored the experiences of midwives engaged in Maternal Death Audits (MDAs) within the Upper East Region of Ghana. Method: Using the qualitative descriptive design, thirteen purposively recruited midwives from selected health facilities within the Upper East Region of Ghana participated in the study guided by the concept of saturation. A semi-structured interview guide was used to gather information from participants. The audio-taped data was transcribed verbatim and analysed using a thematic analysis procedure. Results: While some perceive MDA as a dynamic and growth-oriented experience, others find it challenging, mainly due to concerns about perceived blame and emotional distress. This ultimately undermine the original purpose for MDAs. Conclusion: The study concluded that MDAs are currently conducted in a manner that subjects midwives to severe psychological distress, and this is exacerbated by the lack of institutional support for midwives during the process.