Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfPro8): Abstract 71 | Published: 10 Oct 2026
Lois Edinam Senou1, &, Joyce Berkumwin Der2
1Fred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Hohoe, Ghana; 2Head of Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Fred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Hohoe, Ghana
&Corresponding author: Lois Edinam Senou, Fred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Hohoe, Ghana, Email: senoulois2000@gmail.com
Received: 11 Mar 2026, Accepted: 30 Aug 2026, Published: 10 Oct 2026
Domain: Maternal and Child Health
Keywords: Maternal mortality, surveillance, Volta Region, Ghana
©Lois Edinam Senou et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Lois Edinam Senou et al., Maternal mortality in the Volta Region of Ghana: A five-year epidemiological assessment, 2020-2024. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfPro8):71. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO8-0071
Maternal mortality remains a major public health challenge globally despite sustained efforts to improve maternal health. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 260,000 women died from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications in 2023 with most occurring in Sub Saharan Africa. Data collected through the maternal mortality surveillance system provides an opportunity to understand the distribution and determinants of maternal deaths. This study analysed maternal mortality surveillance data in the Volta Region of Ghana from 2020 to 2024 to describe the epidemiological pattern and inform public health action.
A retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using maternal mortality data extracted from the District Health Information Management System 2 (DHIMS2). Data was analysed using Microsoft Excel and ArcMap. Frequencies, percentages, graphs, and maps were generated to describe the distribution of maternal deaths by person, time, and place.
A total of 186 maternal deaths were recorded in the Volta Region between 2020 and 2024. Women aged 30–39 years accounted for the highest proportion of maternal deaths. Geographically, Ho Municipality recorded nearly half of all maternal deaths (48.92%), followed by North Tongu (10.22%) and Kpando (9.68%). Maternal mortality trends fluctuated over the five-year period, with the lowest number of deaths and maternal mortality ratio recorded in 2022. Despite some reductions, the increase in maternal mortality ratio to 103.66 per 100,000 live births in 2024 indicates that maternal mortality remains a significant public health challenge in the region.
Maternal mortality in the Volta Region was highest among women aged 30–39 years and was concentrated in Ho Municipality. Maternal mortality trends fluctuated over the five-year period, with the highest burden recorded in 2024 and the lowest in 2022. These findings highlight the importance of continued maternal mortality surveillance to guide targeted public health interventions.
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