Primary healthcare services and maternal mortality in Ugep

Abstract

This paper focusses on pregnancy related deaths which is a contemporary issue in modern day Nigeria. Maternal Mortality is more pronounced in Ugep, Cross River State with the maternal mortality ratio of l200/100,000 which is higher than the national figure of 1100/100,000 (Nigerian Partnership for Safe Motherhood, 2018). In Nigeria, about 75 % of women die as a result of these complications either during the course of giving birth or the week preceding delivery (Choudhry, 2012). Recent statistics shows that Maternal deaths account for 32% of all deaths among women age 15-49 in Nigeria. The maternal mortality rate for the seven-year period preceding NDHS 2013 survey was 1.05 maternal deaths per 1000 women. The maternal mortality ratio was 576 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. The lifetime risk of maternal death indicates that out of every 30 women in Nigeria, one will have a death related to pregnancy or childbearing (NDHS, 2013). Statistics further revealed that pregnancy complications in 2012 led to the death of over 52,000 women in Nigeria (Dada, 2016). Maternal Mortality in the seven years preceding the National Demographic Health Survey in 2013 records the figure of live births to be 575 per 100,000, which implies that for one single pregnancy complications resulting to death, more than 20 others are confronted with disabilities which may last a life time, (NDHS, 2013). The theoretical application combines aspects of the Environmental Precedence Theory, Rational Choice Theory and the Health Belief Model (HBM) to explain core variables of the relationship between maternal health practices and pregnancy outcomes. Several conclusions were inferred from the application of sociological theories to the chosen contemporary issue.

Keywords: Childbearing; Community partnership; Maternal health; Mortality; Pregnancy.