STATISTICAL ANALYSIS ON INFANT AND MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE IN NASARAWA AND KEFFI LGA, NASARAWA STATE FROM 1999-2015

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS ON INFANT AND MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE IN NASARAWA AND KEFFI LGA, NASARAWA STATE FROM 1999-2015

ABSTRACT

 This study is focused on  maternal and infant mortality in Nasarawa and Keffi LGA’s of Nasarawa state using age structure of women of child bearing age (15-49). Their mortality trend using descriptive statistic was also examined. Data in this study was collected from five hospitals in the two LGA’s with emphasis on maternal and infant mortality rate. Line graph was also used for preliminary analysis. The result obtained reveals that maternal mortality rate is very high in 2003 and 2006.The general fertility rate of women was high all through the years but higher in 2010. The number of women in the age 25-29, 30-34 was higher mostly, compared to other age groups and the age specific death rate was lower in age 20-24 and 25-29 years compared to other ages, in most cases. The neonatal mortality rate is higher than post- neonatal mortality rate in most cases except in 2013 and 2015 where post- neonatal is higher.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In April, the lancet published material mortality figures developed at the institute based at the University of Washington, seattle, USA Hogan, et al (2010). In September a different set was issued by UN agencies UNICEF, World Bank and world health organization, working in collaboration with technical experts from the University of Berkeley, California, USA,      WHO (2010).

However, maternal and child mortality is not a common event in several parts of the developing world. Mothers and children are at the highest risk for diseases and death while motherhood is often a positive and fulfilling experience for so many women, it is associated with ill-health and even death Olotoye (2009). The death of woman during pregnancy, labor or pueperium is a tragedy that carries a huge burden of grief and pain.

World health organization (WHO 2006) defines maternal death as the death of women during pregnancy or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy. Child mortality on the other hand is the death of a child under five years, while infant mortality is the death of a child under one year. Maternal mortality is a multi dimensional problem which does not only affect the family involved but also has a great effect on the society as a whole. When a mother dies the child chances of reaching adult life decreased. This is majority due to lack of everyday life and security. Younger ones may have to take care of themselves and this may in turn affect their school attendance. Lack of proper education may in turn weaken the child’s chances of reading better life standards.

His persistent high rate of infant and maternal mortality in the country is noted by Ogunjimi, Ibeand Ikorok(2012) negates the achievement of the 4^th and 5^th Millennium Development Goals (MDG’S). Nigeria, which constitutes just 1% of the world’s population, accounts for 10% of the world maternal and under-one (infant mortality) mortality rates.

Although, pregnancy is a physiological phenomenon women commonly experience physiological changes. Pregnancy may be accompanied by complication that could be of fatal consequences, pregnant women are thus prone to risk, it follows therefore, that the care of a pregnant women deserves the highest priority in every community especially Nasarawa and Keffi LGA’s of Nasarawa State where the present study is been carried out.

Infant and maternal mortality has implication not only to the family and community but also, to the nation at large with high incidence of infant and maternal mortality a nation is regarded as a developing country.

Nigeria is also working towards the improvement of maternal and child health through the primary health care component. The objective of these maternal and infant health services is to ensure that as far as possible, women remain healthy during pregnancy, that they have healthy babies and recover fully from the effect of pregnancy.

Nasarawa State is one of the states created on 1^st October 1996. Health problem is Nasarawa State and Nigeria in particular and Africa at large are serious in terms of under five years, high fertility and low life expectancy. However, in some country 25% or more children less than five years of age dies before their fifth birthday, which is higher than developed countries Yakubu (2003).

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

For any country that wants to achieve the objective of the World Health Organization (WHO) that is, reduction on the risk associated with child birth and child bearing, such country must equip all the health care services in her country.

This work tends to emphasis on the factors responsible for high infant and maternal mortality rate in Nasarawa and Keffi LGA’s in Nasarawa State. Despite the fact that there is establishment of the institution of a safe motherhood initiative in the health sector, maternal mortality is still very high-recurring from ignoring the main aim of safe motherhood initiative.

The factors responsible for maternal and infant mortality rate are outlined as follow

1. Poverty
2. Malnutrition
3. Traditional belief
4. Ignorance
5. Carelessness of the obstetricians

1.3     AIM AND OBJECTIVES

1.3.1  AIM

The aim of this research work is to determine the rate of infant and maternal mortality in Nasarawa and Keffi LGA’s of Nasarawa State.

1.3.2  OBJECTIVES

          The objectives of this research work is to

1. Estimate infant mortality rate in Nasarawa and Keffi LGA’s in       Nasarawa State.
2. Estimate maternal mortality rate in Nasarawa and Keffi LGA’s in Nasarawa State.
3. Determine the age specific mortality rate of women.
4. Find out if death of infant occur mostly at neonatal (i.e death under         4 weeks) or post natal (death exactly 4 weeks to one years) in    Nasarawa and Keffi LGA in Nasarawa State.
5. check if there is significant difference in maternal mortality, infant mortality, number of live birth and neonatal death between Nasarawa and keffi LGA’s, Nasarawa state.
6. To forecast the rate of infant and maternal mortality in the next five years

1.4     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

          This research work is significant for many reasons. It provide information on whether the age of mother is one the factors responsible for high infant and maternal mortality rate in Nasarawa and Keffi LGA’s in Nasarawa State. The research will be useful be both to the government and health personnel’s, researchers and equally useful to the expectant mothers in other to protect themselves and their unborn babies.

          It is also of paramount importance to nurses, obstetrician and gynecologist in carrying out their duty to reduce the rate of infant and maternal mortality in Nasarawa and Keffi LGA’s of Nasarawa State.

1.5     DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

          This research work is limited to infant and maternal mortality in Nasarawa and Keffi LGA’s, Nasarawa State. Also, it is limited to three selected hospital in Nasarawa LGA (i.egeneral hospital, primary health care centre and Alpha clinic Nasarawa LGA, Nasarawa State) and two selected hospital in Keffi LGA (general hospital and Federal Medical Centre Keffi) from the year 1999-2015.

1.6     LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

          In the course of carrying out this research work, there are some limitation constraint to the scope of the research work, in which include

1. Time constraint, the time given for this research work did not allow         for detailed investigation.
2. Financial constraint.

1.7   RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

Ho: = i.e. there is no significant difference in maternal death, infant death, number of live birth and neonatal death between Nasarawa and Keffi LGA’s, Nasarawa state.

H1: ≠ i.e. there is significant difference in maternal death, infant death, number of live birth and neonatal death between Nasarawa and Keffi LGA’s, Nasarawa state.

1.8     DEFINITION OF TERMS

          HOSPITAL: is a place or building where people who are ill/sick or injured are given medical treatment and care.

PREGNANCY: is a period where a woman is having a developing baby inside her womb.

MATERNAL MORTALITY: is a death of women during pregnancy or after delivery.

INFANT MORTALITY: is the death of a child from 0-1 year of age.

NEONATAL MORTALITY: is the death of a child under 4 weeks of age.

PRIMARY HEALTH CARE:  is the medical treatment pregnant woman receives during pregnancy.

NURSE: is a person whose job is to take care of sick or pregnant women usually in the hospital.

DOCTOR: is a person who has been trained in medical science, whose job is to treat people.

LIVE BIRTH: is the actual bearing of child.

OBSTETRICIANS: They are physicians who specialize in child birth.

TOXEMIA: It is an adverse reaction of toxic by-product of systemic infection.