Factors affecting maternal mortality in Uganda

Abstract

Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) is the number of women who die out of 100,000 live births in a given year from causes related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management. The aim of the research was to find the factors that cause maternal mortality in Uganda. With the specific objectives as follows; to determine the demographic factors that cause maternal mortality in Uganda, to determine the non-demographic factors that cause maternal mortality in Uganda and lastly to determine the relationship between the demographic factors and maternal mortality. The study was quantitative in nature and secondary data that was obtained from the Uganda Demographic Household Survey was used. The study population was the women in the age bracket of 15-49 years (reproductive age bracket). The study participants involved in the survey were 10,008 participants selected from different households. From the findings majority of the respondents didn’t use family planning. Majority of the respondents also didn’t go for antenatal care during the course of the pregnancy. Majority of the correspondents didn’t go for post-natal checkups too. And as a result, from the findings there has been a high maternal mortality rate because of the above findings. The study recommended that the government should encourage expectant mothers to visit the health centers more regularly, Skilled health workers such as gynecologists, midwives, nurses and medical officers should be available at all times to provide pregnancy care services including delivery at the health facilities. Quality services must be accessible, available and as close as possible to where women live for safety and effectiveness. In addition, these services must be acceptable to women by being responsive to local cultural and social norms The government of Uganda and other stakeholders should increase their efforts in enhancing female education to attain favorable maternal health outcomes in the future. Interventions aimed at keeping girls in school for longer should be part of this effort. Scholarship programmers can be used to target girls from poor families and government legislation against early marriages may help girls to remain in school for more years.