Prevalence and Pattern of Maternal Near Miss at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Southern Nigeria

Background: Maternal mortality was previously used as a critical indicator for measuring a country’s maternal health. Studies have indicated it accounts for a small fraction of the burden of maternal morbidity.

Aim and Objectives: The study sought to determine the prevalence, pattern, and organ system dysfunctions associated with maternal near miss.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Stratified sampling method was used to select the folders of 610 women who were managed during pregnancy, labour, or postpartum period, and for abortion and ectopic pregnancy between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020. Data collection tool was used to obtain information from folders and SPSS 25 used for analysis. Mean and standard deviation were used to summarize descriptive data.

Results: Majority 214 (35.1%) of the women were aged 30 - 34 years, with a mean age of 31.57 ± 5.0 years. Most 541, (88.7%) of the women were married, 335 (54.9%) had tertiary education, while 273 (44.8%) engaged in partly skilled jobs. About one-fifth 138 (22.6%) were booked. There were 123 maternal near miss (MNM) conditions, giving a prevalence of 20.2%. The MNM ratio was 227.8/1000 livebirths. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was the predominant 67 (54.5%) MNM condition, and cardiovascular dysfunction was the most common 43 (35%) organ system dysfunction.

Conclusion: There is a huge burden of maternal near miss at UPTH. Early detection and treatment may provide a window of opportunity to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.