<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec><h3>Objective</h3>
<p>High maternal mortality ratios (MMRs) remain a concern in many parts of the world, especially in developing countries like South Africa. Different models have been developed, tried, and tested worldwide, in the hope that they will reduce maternal mortality, but without much success.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Methods</h3>
<p>A qualitative approach was used to conveniently select a sample of 10 women attending an antenatal clinic in a rural area, in one of the districts of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province. Data were collected by means of interviews with the women. Data were analyzed employing Burnard's content analysis approach.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Results</h3>
<p>Four themes emerged: (1) age at first pregnancy; (2) birth intervals, risks in pregnancy and hospitalization; (3) the use of contraception; and (4) HIV status. All themes that emerged revealed inattention to reproductive health (RH) needs, resulting in poor RH outcomes as an area of concern.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p>Greater emphasis needs to be placed on meeting the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of South African women, if maternal mortality rates are to be reduced. An alternative model for reducing maternal mortality in South Africa is proposed.</p>
</sec>
</abstract>

Objective
High maternal mortality ratios (MMRs) remain a concern in many parts of the world, especially in developing countries like South Africa. Different models have been developed, tried, and tested worldwide, in the hope that they will reduce maternal mortality, but without much success.

Methods
A qualitative approach was used to conveniently select a sample of 10 women attending an antenatal clinic in a rural area, in one of the districts of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province. Data were collected by means of interviews with the women. Data were analyzed employing Burnard's content analysis approach.

Results
Four themes emerged: (1) age at first pregnancy; (2) birth intervals, risks in pregnancy and hospitalization; (3) the use of contraception; and (4) HIV status. All themes that emerged revealed inattention to reproductive health (RH) needs, resulting in poor RH outcomes as an area of concern.

Conclusions
Greater emphasis needs to be placed on meeting the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of South African women, if maternal mortality rates are to be reduced. An alternative model for reducing maternal mortality in South Africa is proposed.

Developing a model for reducing maternal mortality in South Africa

Frontiers of Nursing

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Developing a model for reducing maternal mortality in South Africa"}

Objective
High maternal mortality ratios (MMRs) remain a concern in many parts of the world, especially in developing countries like South Africa. Different...

Pseudonym and at-risk status	Age group at first pregnancy

	15–20 years	21–25 years
Ntombi (teenager)	√
Zodwa (teenager)	√
Thandeka (>35 years)		√
Busi (>35 years)		√
Thuli (closely spaced births)	√
Boni (closely spaced births)	√
Masesi (high parity)	√
Zanele (high parity)	√
Lolo (HIV+)	√

Developing a model for reducing maternal mortality in South Africa

Article Category: Original article

Published Online: Sep 21, 2021

Page range: 269 - 277

Received: Aug 24, 2020

Accepted: Oct 12, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fon-2021-0028

Keywords
antenatal care, contraception, maternal mortality, model, sexual and reproductive health

© 2021 Rose Maureen Makapi Mmusi-Phetoe et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Figure 1

Women at risk by age at first pregnancy (N = 10).

Developing a model for reducing maternal mortality in South Africa

Article Category: Original article

Published Online: Sep 21, 2021

Page range: 269 - 277

Received: Aug 24, 2020

Accepted: Oct 12, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fon-2021-0028

Keywordsantenatal care, contraception, maternal mortality, model, sexual and reproductive health

© 2021 Rose Maureen Makapi Mmusi-Phetoe et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Figure 1

Women at risk by age at first pregnancy (N = 10).

Keywords
antenatal care, contraception, maternal mortality, model, sexual and reproductive health