Determinants of Obstetric Complications in Debre Behran Referral Hospital, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia: A Matched Case-control Study

Background: Obstetric complications are health problems that occur during pregnancy, delivery and postnatal period. In Ethiopia, obstetric complications are the major cause of maternal death in which results from represent a mix of risk factors such as illiteracy, lack of information, low use of health care, previous obstetric complications, previous chronic medical conditions, remote location, poverty and poor decision-making power of women. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess determinants of obstetric complications in Debre Berhan Referral hospital, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. Method: An institutional based matched case-control study was conducted on determinants of obstetric complications in Debre Berhan Referral Hospital from March 10 to April 30, 2019. Systematic sampling method was used to select 47 cases and 94 controls a total sample size of 141 and data was collected using pre-tested standardized questionnaire and checklist. Then data was entered and cleaned using Epi-info version 7.0, bivariate and multivariate analysis was done using conditional logistic regression on SPSS version 21. Descriptive statistics and odds ratio with 95% CI was computed for predictor variables and P-value <0.05 was considered as significant. Results: Age 35 years and above [(COR=1.8, 95% CI: (1.023-3.27)], age of first pregnancy less than 18 years [AOR=2.825, 95% CI, (1.021-3.273)], lack information access [AOR=13.742, 95% CI, (4.935-38.270)], birth interval less or equal 1 year [AOR=2.581, 95% CI, (1.679-3.896)]; past obstetric complications [AOR=3.450, 95% CI, (2.001-4.155)], anemia [AOR=3.1, 95% CI, (2.002-4.414)], focused ANC utilizations [AOR=0.30, 95% CI, (0.014-0.877)], and induced labor [AOR=4.9, 95% CI 1.008-7.321)] showed significant association with an obstetric complications. Conclusions and recommendations: ANC, age, birth interval, past obstetric complications, abortion, information access, educational status, planned pregnancy, anaemia, weight loss, and FP were determinants of obstetric complications in study area. Therefore, providing appropriate information on potential obstetric complications, accessed maternal health services and empower women is very important.