Vol. 1, Issue 1, Part A (2019)

Abstract: Caesarean section increases the risk of maternal death Objective: To describe the causes and risk factors for maternal deaths related to caesarean section. Patient and methods: A retrospective and descriptive study, conducted at the Gynecology-Obstetrics Department of Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital in Lomé, from January 1st, 2011 to December 31st, 2017. The study concerned patients who died during cesarean section or within 42 days who followed this caesarean section. Study variables were epidemiological data (frequency, age, educational level), clinical (indication of caesarean section), therapeutic (type of anesthesia, associated surgical procedure) and prognosis (caesarean section delay, cause of death). Results: The caesarean section rate was 42.3% and the maternal death rate was 0.3%. The majority of patients were 20 to 34 years old (68%). Patients lived in concubinage in 76% of cases and were illiterate in 17% of cases. Patients were referred in 74.7% of cases and caesarean section was performed urgently in 97.3% of cases for severe preeclampsia/Eclampsia in 60% of cases. Caesarean section was performed in the hour in 26.7% of cases. Patients died during cesarean section in 5.3% of cases and after caesarean section in 94.7% of cases. Postpartum haemorrhage, in 44% of cases and complications of preeclampsia, in 42.7% of cases were the leading causes of post-caesarean maternal death.