Table 2 Risk of severe maternal outcomes among women (n = 78,085) and perinatal death among births (n = 80,663) by maternal and obstetric characteristics in 16 ALERT hospitals in Benin, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda, between July 1st, 2021, and December 31st, 2022

Total

2,209

2.8

1.9–4.2

2,323

2.9

1.9–4.3

Parity (n = 78,085)

(n = 80,663)

 0

731

2.3

1.6–3.5

 755

2.4

1.7–3.3

 1–4

1,233

2.9

2.0–4.2

 1,285

2.9

1.9–4.5

 ≥ 5

245

5.5

3.7–7.9

 < 0.001

 283

5.9

4.1–8.5

 < 0.001

Referral status (n = 77,789)

(n = 80,370)

 Not referred

1086

2.0

1.6–2.5

 986

1.7

1.3–2.4

 Pre-labour

244

10.8

5.7–19.6

 137

5.8

3.4–9.7

 Emergency

872

4.2

2.5–6.8

 < 0.001

 1,192

5.5

3.4–8.9

 < 0.001

Woman’s age at time of birth (n = 77,978)

(n = 80,558)

 10–19

33

2.0

1.4–2.7

 394

2.3

1.5–3.4

 20–29

1,119

2.8

1.8–4.1

 1,128

2.7

1.8–4.0

 30–39

655

3.6

2.4–5.2

 719

3.7

2.5–5.5

 40–49

100

5.0

3.2–7.7

 < 0.001

 80

3.8

2.4–6.1

 < 0.001

Country (n = 78,085)

(n = 80,663)

 Benin

933

5.8

4.0–8.4

 892

5.2

3.5–7.5

 Malawi

412

1.5

1.1–2.0

 447

1.6

1.3–2.0

 Tanzania

304

2.3

1.5–3.5

 143

1.1

0.6–1.8

 Uganda

560

2.6

1.5–4.2

 < 0.001

 841

3.7

2.6–5.3

 < 0.001

ANC visits (n = 77,086)

(n = 79,817)

 0

18

2.1

1.0–4.4

 40

4.6

3.1–6.8

 1–3

898

3.2

2.0–5.1

 1,091

3.8

2.4–5.9

 ≥ 4

1,233

2.5

1.7–3.7

 < 0.001

 1,151

2.3

1.5–3.5

 < 0.001

Any antenatal risk factor (n = 78,085)

(n = 80,663)

 Not present

1,369

2.2

1.5–3.1

 1,642

2.6

1.7–3.9

 Present

840

3.8

3.8–7.3

 < 0.001

 681

4.1

3.1–5.3

 < 0.001

Any admission risk factors (n = 78,085)

(n = 80,663)

 Not present

1,361

2.0

1.5–2.6

 1,472

2.1

1.4–3.0

 Present

848

9.1

6.4–12.8

 < 0.001

 851

8.1

6.4–10.2

 < 0.001

Mode of birth (n = 77,834)

(n = 80,658)

 Spontaneous vaginal birth

909

1.6

1.2–2.3

 1,322

2.3

1.5–3.7

 Caesarean section

1,206

5.6

4.0–7.8

 917

4.1

3.0–5.5

 Assisted vaginal birth (vacuum/forceps)

26

5.8

4.1–8.0

 28

6.1

4.0–9.0

 Breech

28

5.3

3.7–7.6

 < 0.001

 56

8.5

6.7–10.7

 < 0.001

Birth weight (grams) (n = 77,472)

(n = 80,236)

 1000–1999

332

9.9

6.2–15.4

 463

11.4

9.6–13.4

 2000–2999

917

2.9

1.8–4.4

 915

2.7

1.6–4.5

 3000–3999

827

2.1

1.5–2.9

 821

2.0

1.4–3.0

 ≥ 4000

64

2.8

1.8–4.4

 < 0.001

 61

2.7

1.9–3.8

 < 0.001

Use of uterotonics (n = 78,014)

(n = 80,636)

 No

916

1.7

1.3–2.3

 979

1.8

1.4–2.4

 Yes

1,289

5.1

3.3–7.7

 < 0.001

 1,343

5.0

3.8–6.5

 < 0.001