Review of maternal death audits in refugee camps in UNHCR East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes Region, 2017–2019

OBJECTIVES: To review the quality of maternal death audits and identify factors contributing to refugee maternal deaths in the East and Horn of Africa. METHODS: Maternal death audits submitted to The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) from 2017 to 2019 in 43 refugee camps in eight countries were analyzed for completeness, obstetric history, cause of death, and contributing factors. RESULTS: A total of 191 refugee maternal death audits were retrieved. The mean age of the deceased was 28 years (range, 15–45 years), and 13% were adolescents and 17% were of advanced maternal age. Most patients (55%) were grand multigravida (≥5 pregnancies). The majority (86%) attended antenatal care visits, with 51% attending four or more visits. Among women who delivered (n = 140), 91% were facility‐based deliveries. Most (68%) deaths occurred postpartum. Obstetric hemorrhage (49%) was the leading direct cause of death (with 77 cases of postpartum hemorrhage), followed by hypertensive disorder (19%) and infection (15%). Delays in care were identified in 185 (97%) cases. Delays in receiving care were more prevalent (81%) than in seeking (61%) and reaching (26%) care. CONCLUSION: Factors contributing to delays in receiving care highlight the capacity gaps in provision of emergency obstetric care, including management of postpartum hemorrhage, requiring urgent additional investments. Audit findings also show the need for attention and action towards family planning, contraception, and adolescent sexual and reproductive health services.