Factors Affecting Pregnancy Complications in Ghana

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Maternal mortality remains a global health challenge, with pregnancy complications contributing significantly to deaths in women of reproductive age in Ghana.
• Over half of pregnancy-related deaths in Ghana are preventable with timely medical assessment, highlighting a critical gap in maternal healthcare.
• Limited data on the pooled prevalence of pregnancy complications hinders effective policy development for maternal health in Ghana.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of pregnancy complications among women attending antenatal care (ANC) services in Ghana.
• To identify key factors associated with the occurrence of pregnancy complications in the study population.

Main Methods:

• A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted involving 415 pregnant women at Mamprobi Hospital, utilizing systematic sampling.
• Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were employed to identify significant determinants of pregnancy complications.
• Statistical significance was determined at a p-value less than 0.05, with results reported as adjusted odds ratios (AOR).

Main Results:

• The incidence of pregnancy complications was high, affecting 51.8% of pregnant women.
• Significant contributing factors included advanced maternal age (AOR, 6.1), previous pregnancy complications (AOR, 2.5), inadequate ANC visits (AOR, 6.1), and family history (AOR, 3.6).
• Other key factors identified were a history of abortion (AOR, 7.8), limited knowledge of obstetric danger signs (AOR, 2.4), and experiencing danger signs during pregnancy (AOR, 6.6).

Conclusions:

• The study revealed a high incidence of pregnancy complications among women attending ANC services at Mamprobi Hospital.
• Early initiation of ANC services is vital for managing complications such as anemia and preeclampsia.
• Healthcare providers, particularly midwives, should strongly encourage pregnant women to commence ANC visits early in their pregnancy.