Mortality Synopsis Among Women of Reproductive Age Group in Nigeria: A Hospital-Based Study

Identification of health problems of women of reproductive age, using a reliable mortality data, is essential in evading preventable female deaths. This study aimed at investigating mortality profile of women of reproductive age group in Nigeria.

This is a descriptive, retrospective study involving women of reproductive age group of 15-49 years that died at DELSUTH from 1st January 2016 to 31st December 2018. The age, date of death and cause of death were retrieved from the hospital records and subsequently analyzed using SPSS version 21.

One hundred and eighty-seven eligible deaths were encountered in this study, constituting 17.5% of all deaths in the hospital. Twenty four (12.8%) cases were of maternal etiology while 163 (87.2%) were of non-maternal causes. Non-communicable disease, communicable disease and external injuries accounted for 100 (53.5%), 44 (23.5%) and 19 (10.2%) deaths among the non-maternal causes. The mean age and the peak age group are 34.4 years and the 4th decade respectively. The leading specified non-maternal causes of death (in descending order) are AIDS/TB, cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), breast cancer, road traffic accident (RTA), diabetes, perioperative death and sepsis while the leading maternal causes of death are abortion, postpartum hemorrhage, eclampsia and puerperal sepsis.

Most deaths affecting WRAG are preventable, with non-maternal causes in excess of maternal causes. There is need for holistic life-long interventional policies and strategies that will address the health need of these women, using evidence-based research findings.