HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS AND MATERNAL MORTALITY IN GHANA

ABSTRACT

Pregnancy is a pre-condition to reproduction and childbearing. However, the life-threatening risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth have turned the whole process into one full of anxiety and fear as some women never make it alive. Upon several efforts by governments and international organizations, it is sad to still see families losing their loved ones during pregnancy or childbirth especially in our part of the world. Numerous studies tend to focus on the provision and utilization of health care services for women or government efforts targeted at reducing the maternal mortality canker. This study takes it a step further by looking at the relationship between maternal mortality and the household characteristics of the deceased women taking into account the family system in Africa in which decisions are usually made at the household level, and such decisions being influenced by the characteristics of the household. The study made use of the 2017 Ghana Maternal Health Survey in which women within the reproductive age (15-49) answered several questions concerning their reproductive health, utilization of health facilities, and their socio-demographic characteristics. A verbal autopsy was also conducted in households in which a female aged 12-49 has died in the five years prior to the survey. The study used binary logistic regression to assess the relationship between household characteristics, individual characteristics and maternal mortality. The results showed that the household characteristics were not significant predictors of maternal mortality but rather the individual characteristics like age and marital status were found to be significantly associated with maternal mortality. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the government put more effort into educating adolescents on maternal health issues since they are the most vulnerable group.