Table 3 Three phases of delay (n = 207)
From: A ten year analysis of maternal deaths in a tertiary hospital using the three delays model
Phase of delay | Causes | N (%) |
|---|---|---|
First phase delay (82 cases) (39.6%) | Lack of awareness of obstetric complications | 40 (19.3%) |
Low status (women not financially empowered and/or non availability of husband). | 30 (14.5%) | |
Uneventful previous home births. | 30 (14.5%) | |
Previous bad experience of health care | 20 (9.7%) | |
Perceived poor quality of care in healthcare facilities | 25 (12.1%) | |
Low family income | 28 (13.5%) | |
Visited TBAs or unexperienced physician. | 45 (21.7%) | |
Long waiting in a healthcare facility | 10 (4.8%) | |
Domestic violence | 10 (4.8%) | |
Second phase delay (104 cases) (50.2%) | Late referral to the tertiary hospital | 50 (24.2%) |
Multiple referrals | 39 (18.8%) | |
Home –Health facility Long distance . | 29 (14%) | |
Lack of a health facility in the area | 50 (24.2%) | |
Poor or inaccessible road conditions. | 10 (4.8%) | |
High costs of transport | 5 (2.4%) | |
Third phase delay (184 cases) (88.9%) | Inadequate referral system | 100 (48.3%/) |
Senior staff unavailable | 110 (53.1%) | |
Shortage of equipment and supplies | 60 (29%) | |
Lack of competence on EmOC in health facilities | 110 (53.1%) | |
Wrong assessment (of risk, diagnosis, treatment) | 63 (30.4%) | |
Lack of treatment guidelines | 40 (19.3%) | |
Shortage of trained staff | 67 (32.4%) | |
Long waiting time before treatment in health facility | 14 (6.8%) |