Undesired pregnancy outcomes and their associated factors in Kwimba district

Abstract

Maternal and infant morbidity and mortality are of high priority in health delivery in our setting. Health planners need to identify and take into consideration various factors that influence the morbidity and mortality associated with pregnancy, specifically to their individual communities. This community based, cross-sectional study was conducted in K wimba district, Mwanza region, aiming on determining the magnitude of undesired maternal and foetal outcomes of pregnancy and their influencing factors in that district. The researcher investigated 247 women selected randomly who, at one time or another within the year 2000 had pregnancy. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on foetal and maternal outcomes, and various factors associated with such outcomes. 13.3% of the pregnancies terminated into various categories fo)' undesired pregnancy outcomes. The perinatal rate and the maternal mortality ratio were higher than those reported by previous studies in Tanzania. It is recommended that in order to reduce these undesired outcomes of pregnancy and to improve maternal and child care, among other things, quality of care in terms of personnel's knowledge, skill and attitude, equipment and supplies had to be improved. This has to go hand in hand with improvement of referral system, continuous training of TBAs on hygienic methods of delivery, identification and timely referral of at risk mothers before and during delivery. Every community should be involved in designing and planning for logistics that can facilitate timely referral of mothers in danger, the crucial issue being the transportation of the patients.