Maternal mortality in a Kenyan pastoralist population.

Objective: To measure maternal mortality among the Gabbra, a group of nomadic pastoralists living in a remote area of Kenya. Method: As part of a survey of 851 households, information on the number of sisters of respondents who died of pregnancy-related causes was collected and the data were used to calculate maternal mortality statistics using the sisterhood (an indirect) method. Results: The maternal mortality ratio for this population was 599 deaths per 100 000 births (95% C.I. 424–775). The lifetime risk of dying around childbirth is 1 in 30, and the proportion of ever-married sisters that died under 50 years of age who died from maternal causes is 0.48 (95% C.I. 0.38–0.58). Conclusion: The risk of dying of maternal causes is high in this population