Transitioning from the “Three Delays” to a focus on continuity of care: a qualitative analysis of maternal deaths in rural Pakistan and Mozambique

Table 1 Maternal characteristics^a

		Pakistan (N = 54)		Mozambique (N = 22)		Total (N = 76)
		n	%	n	%	n	%
Maternal age	Median [IQR]	30 years [25, 32]		27 years [23,34]		30 years [25,33]
Maternal age	≥ 35 yrs	11	20%	5	23%	16	21%
Maternal education	No schooling (0 yrs)	45	83%	7	32%	52	68%
	Completed primary education (≥ 5 yrs)	6	11%	12	55%	18	24%
	Other	3	6%	3	14%	6	8%
Parity	First pregnancy	8	19%	6	27%	14	18%
	2–3	5	12%	4	18%	9	12%
	4–5	13	31%	7	32%	20	26%
	≥ 6	16	38%	5	23%	21	28%
	Missing	12^b	-	0	-	12	16%
Timing of death	Antepartum	11	20%	1	5%	12	16%
	Intrapartum	6	11%	4	18%	10	13%
	Postpartum	37	69%	16	73%	53	70%
	Unknown	-	-	1	5%	1	1%
Timing of postpartum deaths	First 24 h	23	42%	6^c	38%	29	38%
	25—48 h	1	2%	1	6%	2	3%
	2—7 days	2	4%	2	13%	4	5%
	8—42 days	10	19%	6	38%	16	21%
	Unknown	-	-	1	6%	1	1%
Location of death	At home before seeking care	2	4%	5^d	23%	11	14%
	At home post-discharge	4	7%	5^d	23%	11	14%
	En route	11	20%	1	5%	12	16%
	At facility	37	69%	16	73%	53	70%

^aData obtained from narratives as shared by family members of the woman who died in Pakistan and from household surveillance data in Mozambique
^bDescribed in 42 of 54 narratives, 78%
^cAll same day, uncertain if they were postpartum or intrapartum
^dTiming is unknown, may or may not be after a facility discharge

ISSN: 1471-2393