Review of Maternal Deaths in Two Health Regions of Togo: About 69 Cases (Epidemiological and Sociodemographic Aspects)

Introduction: Maternal mortality is a public health problem. It is common in hospitals in Togo. From 401 per 100,000 live births in 2013, in 2017 we are 396 per 100,000 live births. Despite several programs ranging from subsidized caesarean section (CARMA) yezou (assistance for pregnant women), the establishment of maternal death reviews in maternity wards to compensate for avoidable causes; we are seeing preventable maternal and fetal deaths in our hospitals. No study on these reviews has been done since its establishment. The objective of our study was to determine the frequency of reviews of maternal deaths, the epidemiological, sociodemographic aspects and the causes of these reviewed maternal deaths. Method: This was a descriptive and cross-sectional, multicenter study lasting four and a half years, from the 1st of January 2018 to the 30th of June 2022, relating to the review of maternal deaths in three reference hospitals of two health regions of south Togo. Any maternal death occurring in one of these hospitals during the study period was included in this survey. The data collected using a collection sheet were analyzed using Epi Info version 7 software. Results: During the study period, the maternal mortality ratio in the three hospitals was 722.3 per 100,000 live births. Only 12.2% of maternal deaths were reviewed in the three hospitals. The patients were young with an average age of 29.9 years, housewives (71%), uneducated (21.7%). The causes of maternal deaths were dominated by direct obstetric causes (89.7%). The main cause was hemorrhage (72.5%), the main cause being immediate postpartum hemorrhage (50.7%). Conclusion: This study shows that the maternal mortality ratio still remains high in our country with a low frequency of maternal death reviews. Young, poor, uneducated women are the most affected by these deaths, the main cause of which remains hemorrhage. Preventive measures deserve to be taken at all levels with a view to reducing maternal mortality.