[Role of abortion and ectopic pregnancies in maternal mortality rate at three university hospitals in Yaoundé]. / Contribution des avortements et des grossesses extra-utérines dans la mortalité maternelle dans trois hôpitaux universitaires de Yaoundé.

INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 585.000 women die every year in the world as a result of complications related to pregnancy, delivery, postpartum period and abortion (the latter contributing to 13% of maternal deaths). Ectopic pregnancies are responsible for 10% of maternal mortality in the first quarter of pregnancy. Maternal mortality rate is high in Cameroon, estimated at 782 per 100.000 live births according to EDS-MICS 2011. AS the role of these two conditions in maternal mortality is little documented in our country, we conducted this study to assess the role of abortions and ectopic pregnancies in maternal mortality rate in Cameroon. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective and analytic study. We collected data from all the medical records of pregnant patients and pregnant patients died before the 28thweek of pregnancy at three university hospitals: Central Hospital of Yaoundé (HCY), Yaoundé Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital (HGOPY), University Hospital (CHU), over a period of five years, from 1 June 2011 to 31 May 2016. Data were recorded on a pre-established and tested technical sheet, collected using CS Pro 6.2 software and analyzed using SPSS software 20. The statistical tests for comparison used were Khi 2 and Fischer test according to the effective sample. The threshold significance level was set at p <0.05. RESULTS: We recorded 524 maternal deaths per 31116 live births, reflecting a maternal mortality rate (MMR) of 1538,9/100 000 live births. Out of 524 maternal deaths, 414 medical records were workable, including 100 (24.2%)abortions and 24 (5.8%) ectopic pregnancies. These 2 conditions contributed together to 30% of maternal deaths (124 medical records out of 414). The analysis of 124 medical records showed that the average age was 27.58 +/- 6 years, ranging from 18 to 48 years. The age group 20-24 years was the most represented (33.1%), followed by that 25-29 years (24.19%). The singles constituted 75%, housewives 36.7%, with level of secondary education in 62.5% and multigestes constituted 36.1% of our sample. 73.4% of patients didn't undergo any prenatal consultation and only 2.4% had undergone at least 4 consultations. Complications resulting in deaths were dominated by hemorrhage and infections. CONCLUSION: Abortions and ectopic pregnancies are the major causes of maternal mortality in our country. We recommend strengthening of family planning to limit unwanted pregnancies and socio-economic support for patients at risk.

Training health professionals in conducting maternal death reviews.

In countries where maternal death review (MDR) sessions are proposed as an intervention to improve quality of obstetric care, training focuses on the theory behind this method. However, experience shows that health staff lack confidence to apply the theory if they have not attended a practical training session. To address this problem, a training curriculum based on the new guidelines from the FIGO Leadership in Obstetrics and Gynecology for Impact and Change (LOGIC) Initiative for preparing and conducting MDR sessions was designed and tested in Cameroon. This curriculum is competency-based and consists primarily of practical individual or group exercises.

Outcome of deliveries among adolescent girls at the Yaoundé central hospital.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent pregnancies are a growing public health problem in Cameroon. We sought to study the outcome of such pregnancies, in order to inform public health action. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of 5997 deliveries which compared the outcome of deliveries in adolescent (10-19 years old) pregnant women registered at the Yaoundé Central Hospital between 2008 and 2010 to that of their non-adolescent adult (≥ 20 years old) counterparts. Variables used for comparison included socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics of parturients, referral status, and maternal and fetal outcomes. Predictors of maternal and of perinatal mortality were determined through binomial logistic modeling. RESULTS: Adolescent deliveries represented 9.3% (560) of all pregnancies registered. Adolescent pregnancies had significantly higher rates of both gestational duration extremes: preterm as well as post-term deliveries (29.3% versus 24.5%, p = 0.041 OR 1.28 95% CI 1.01-1.62 and 4.9 versus 2.4%, p = 0.014 OR 2.11 95% CI 1.46-3.87 respectively). Both groups did not differ significantly with respect to mean blood loss, rates of cesarean or instrumental deliveries. Adolescent deliveries however required significantly twice as many episiotomies (OR 2.15 95% CI 1.59-2.90). The likelihood of perineal tears in the adolescent group was significantly higher than that in the adult group on assuming episiotomies done would have been tears if they had not been carried out (OR 1.45 95% CI 1.16-1.82). Adolescent parturients had a higher likelihood of apparent fetal death at birth as well as perinatal fetal death after resuscitation efforts (AOR 1.75 95% CI 1.25-2.47 and AOR 1.69 95% CI 1.17-2.45 respectively).Comparisons of pregnancy outcomes between early (10-14 years), middle (15-17 years) and late adolescence (18-19 years) found no significant differences. Predictors of maternal death included having been referred, having had ≥5 deliveries and preterm deliveries. These were also predictors of perinatal death, as well as being a single mother, primiparous, and multiple gestations. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent pregnancies in Cameroon compared to those in adults are associated with poorer outcomes. There is need for adolescent-specific services to prevent teenage pregnancies as well as interventions to prevent and manage the above mentioned predictors of in-facility maternal and perinatal mortality.