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Table 2 Estimates of the Prevalence of Severe Maternal Morbidity in Sub-Saharan Africa

From: A global view of severe maternal morbidity: moving beyond maternal mortality

Article

Country

Setting

Definition of SMM

Estimated Prevalencea

Leading Causes

Adeoye 2013 [66]

Nigeria

1 tertiary referral hospital, Ile-Ife

Filippi et al. 2005

109.9b

Hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, dystocia

Ali 2011 [77]

Sudan

1 tertiary referral hospital, Kalassa

Filippi et al. 2005

22.1

Hemorrhage, infection, hypertensive disorders

David 2014 [78]

Mozambique

5 health facilities, Maputo city/province

eclampsia, infection hypertension, anemia, dystocia

20.2

Hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, infection

Gebrehiwot 2014 [59]

Ethiopia

10 public hospitals

hypertensive disorders, obstetric hemorrhage, dystocia, infection, anemia

90.8

Dystocia or uterine rupture, hypertensive disorders, hemorrhage

Goldenberg 2017 [51]

Democratic Republic of Congo

14 health centers and 3 hospitals, Equateur province

Modified WHO

37.3b

Not reported by country

Goldenberg 2017

Kenya

23 health facilities and 3 referral hospitals, Busia, Bungoma and Kakamega counties

Modified WHO

31.2b

Not reported by country

Goldenberg 2017

Zambia

8 health posts, 3 district hospitals and 1 referral hospital, Kafue and Chongwe districts

Modified WHO

13.0b

Not reported by country

Herklots 2017 [79]

Tanzania

Tertiary referral hospital, Zanzibar

WHO

9.0

Hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders

Kalisa 2016 [80]

Rwanda

Provincial referral hospital, Musanze district

Modified WHO

21.5

Hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders

Kiruja 2017 [81]

Somaliland

Main referral hospital

WHO

88.6

Hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, infection

Litorp 2014 [82]

Tanzania

2 hospitals, Dar es Salaam

WHO

36

Hypertensive disorders, hemorrhage

Liyew 2017 [83]

Ethiopia

5 public hospitals, Addis Ababa

WHO

8.1

Hypertensive disorders, hemorrhage, abortive outcome

Lori 2012 [62]

Liberia

Rural county

Modified WHO and Filippi et al. 2005

16% of deliveries

Hemorrhage, anemia, sepsis

Mbachu 2017 [54]

Nigeria

Private hospital, Elele

WHO

198

Hemorrhage, abortive outcome, hypertensive disorders

Mekango 2017 [84]

Ethiopia

6 public hospitals, Tigray

Filippi et al. 2005

101

Hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, dystocia

Nakimuli 2016 [85]

Uganda

2 referral hospitals, Central Uganda

WHO

8.42

Hypertensive disorders, hemorrhage

Nelissen 2013 [86]

Tanzania

Referral hospital, rural

Modified WHO

23.6

Hemorrhage, abortive outcome, dystocia

Oladapo 2016 [57]

Nigeria

42 public tertiary hospitals

WHO

15.8

Hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, abortive outcome

Rulisa 2015 [87]

Rwanda

University hospital, Kigali

WHO

8

Sepsis, hypertensive disorders, hemorrhage

Sayinzoga 2017 [88]

Rwanda

4 rural district hospitals

Modified WHO

36

Hemorrhage, uterine rupture, abortive outcome

Soma-Pillay 2015 [89]

South Africa

9 delivery facilities, Gauteng province

WHO

4.4c

Hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, sepsis

Tuncalp 2013 [90]

Ghana

Tertiary referral hospital, Accra

WHO

28.6

Not reported

  1. aper 1000 live births
  2. bper 1000 deliveries
  3. cper 1000 pregnancies