MATERNAL DEATH CAUSED BY COVID-19 IN BANJARNEGARA DISTRICT, CENTRAL JAVA PROVINCE, INDONESIA

Abstract

Banjarnegara District in Central Java Province is one of the five districts with the highest rates of maternal death attributable to COVID-19.  The current COVID-19 pandemic has become one additional cause that increased maternal death.  Therefore, this study aimed to examine the determinants of maternal mortality due to COVID-19 in the Banjarnegara District.  The study design was cross-sectional, and the activities included collection of maternal mortality data at the Banjarnegara District Health Office and conducting interviews with Public Health Center midwives.  There were 24 maternal deaths caused by COVID-19 infections in 2021 with some during pregnancy, on childbirth and at postpartum.  The result of this study showed that most of maternal death occurred in reproductive age (20-35 years old).  Most of the deaths had no obstetric complication.  Thirty-seven percent or 9 of the 24 deaths were at a gestation age of less than 29 weeks.  Most of the 24 maternal deaths due to COVID-19 occurred in hospitals (83.33%); mostly died during pregnant (66.66%) with 29.17% post-partum and 4.17% died in labor.  This study revealed that a delay in referring to health services due to being late in making decisions in the family that other causes of maternal death.  The other non-medical factors in mortality included low economic and factors of belief and religion.  For this reason, efforts are needed to reduce cases of maternal mortality with an innovative program for pregnant women, namely the assistance of one mother with one cadre to build a community alert system in dealing with emergencies related to pregnancy and childbirth.