Determinants of post-partum maternal mortality at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi: a case-control study 2001-2002

The aim of this research is to identify the clinical, demographic and service-based determinants of postpartum maternal mortality within Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi, during 2001 and 2002. The study uses a case-control design using all postpartum maternal deaths in 2001 and 2002 as cases, with analysis conducted using conditional logistic regression. The results indicate that the mothers’ reason for admission into hospital and the outcome of the birth were significantly related to maternal death when analysing all potential explanatory variables in one model. A group of high-risk mothers can be identified using these factors. If these criteria were applied as a predictive tool in the clinical setting the resulting sensitivity and specificity would be over 85%. Identification within the hospital setting of a group of very high-risk mothers in whom serious complications are aggressively managed in a coordinated way across the medical specialties may reduce maternal mortality