Factors Contributing to Maternal Mortality Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in Poly General Clinic Enugu State

This study was to access the factors contributing to maternal mortality among pregnant women attending Antenatal care in poly general clinic Enugu state. The objectives of the study were to identify the socioeconomic factors associated with maternal mortality, examine the cultural beliefs and practices that may contribute to maternal deaths, assess the accessibility and utilization of antenatal care services, examine the role of education and health literacy in maternal mortality among pregnant women attending antenatal care services in poly general clinic Enugu state. There were conceptual review, theoretical review and empirical review of literatures for the study. Descriptive survey method was used for the study and the target population of study were 300 pregnant women who attended the antenatal unit, from 1st of March to 31st of May 2024, at poly General Clinic Enugu state. A sample size of 171 was determined using Taro Yamane’s formula. The instrument for data collection was questionnaire. One hundred and seventy-one (171) questionnaires were administered and one hundred and seventy-one (171) were retrieved properly filled and fit for analysis. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics of frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. The analysis of responses from the participants revealed that, 38.0% lived relatively close to the nearest health facility, while 56.1% relied on public transport as their primary means of reaching the facility, 57.3% lacked health insurance or any other financial support for healthcare costs, 71.9% had not faced financial difficulties in accessing antenatal care services,80.1% did not adhere to any cultural beliefs or customs related to pregnancy and childbirth, while 77.8% did not seek advice or assistance from traditional birth attendants or healers during pregnancy, 79.5% did not observe cultural restrictions or taboos related to pregnancy and childbirth, and 84.2% had no concerns or fears about seeking medical care during pregnancy. In terms of antenatal visits, 50.3% of respondents had attended between 4 to 6 visits during their current pregnancy, while 45.0% had attended between 1 to 3 visits, 77.8%, reported no difficulty in accessing antenatal care services, and 81.9% rated the quality of antenatal care services at Poly General Hospital as good, 69.6% faced no barriers to regular antenatal visits, 30.4% reported challenges such as distance, cost, and transportation.Regarding health literacy, 94.2% of respondents could read and understand written health information. However, 75.4% had not received any education or counseling on maternal health and pregnancy care, and 68.4% lacked a good understanding of potential complications and warning signs during pregnancy. Nonetheless, 77.2% claimed to have good knowledge about pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal care. Recommendations were made that Nurses should actively educate pregnant women and their families on the importance of antenatal care, pregnancy danger signs, proper nutrition, and skilled birth attendance.