ABSTRACT

This study is on high-risk pregnancies and perceptions of maternal mortality among

women in Plateau State of Nigeria. Four research questions were stated to guide the

study, with specific objectives which include: to explain the manifestations of

maternal mortality; to determine the extent to which socio-cultural factors are

responsible for high-risk pregnancies and to investigate respondents knowledge of

maternal mortality in relationship to their indulgence in high-risk pregnancies.

Relevant literatures were reviewed, while the political economy was for analysis.

Both primary and secondary data were explored for the study and quantitative and

qualitative techniques of data collection were triangulated for analysis. Using the

Yamane’s sample size determination technique, 400 respondents were selected for the

study. Questionnaires were administered on 300 respondents who were women within

reproductive ages (15-49); in-depth interviews were conducted on 16 key informants

drawn from medical personnel’s and women within reproductive ages in the study

area. In addition, 7 focus group discussions (FGDs) consisting of 84 participants (12

in each group) were carried out. Data were analyzed and findings revealed that high-

risk pregnancies were major contributory factors to the high-rate of maternal mortality

in Plateau state. Every pregnancy was found to be associated with high-risk due to

obstetric factors, medical conditions and unpredicted outcomes. Findings on the first

objective indicated that high-risk pregnancies are practiced in Plateau state, but early

pregnancies were more common as compared to order forms. This suggests that most

women marry early and give birth before age 34. Findings on the second objective

indicated that maternal mortality as a result of high-risk pregnancies is still a social

problem in Plateau state. Findings on the third objective indicated that social factors

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like non-attendance of antenatal clinics, son preference, poverty and caesarean section

(CS) predispose respondents to having high-risk pregna