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Table 2 Number of women referred, proportional complied, and proportional traced after not complying with referral advice according to indications.

From: Effectiveness of maternal referral system in a rural setting: a case study from Rufiji district, Tanzania

Indication for referral Referred Complied Did not comply
    Traced Lost to follow-up
  Number n (%) n (%) n (%)
Demographic risk factors     
≥5 pregnancies 529 146 (28) 257 (49) 126 (24)
Age <20 years 465 222 (48) 141 (30) 102 (22)
First pregnancya 37 12 (32) 15 (41) 10 (27)
Intercurrent illnessesb 15 7 (47) 5 (33) 3 (20)
≥10 years since last delivery 13 5 (38) 5 (38) 3 (23)
History of severe bleeding after delivery 6 2 (33) 3 (50) 1 (17)
≥3 consecutive abortions 5 0 3 (60) 2 (40)
Pregnancy at ≥35 yearsa 2 1 (50) 1 (50) 0 (0)
First pregnancy at ≥35 years 1 1 (100)   
Other indicationsc 6 4 (67) 1 (17) 1 (17)
Total 1079 400 (37) 431 (40) 248 (23)
Obstetric historical risks     
Previous caesarean section 115 79 (69) 18 (16) 18 (16)
Height <150 cm 48 31 (65) 12 (25) 5 (10)
Stillbirth/Perinatal death 19 11 (58) 1 (5.3) 7 (37)
Pelvic deformity 4 0 4 (100) 0 (0)
Total 186 121 (65) 35 (19) 30 (16)
Prenatal complications     
Haemoglobin < 60% (8.5 gm/dl) 42 18 (43) 13 (31) 11 (26)
Blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg 35 23 (66) 6 (17) 6 (17)
Abnormal lie/presentation at >36 weeks 33 18 (55) 10 (30) 5 (15)
Vaginal bleeding 27 12 (44) 8 (30) 7 (26)
Uterus too big for date 26 20 (77) 4 (15) 2 (7.7)
Oedema of hands and face 16 9 (56) 3 (19) 4 (25)
Intrauterine foetal death 4 3 (75) 1 (25) 0 (0)
Albumin in urine 2 1 (50) 0 (0) 1 (50)
Pregnancy >40 weeks 2 1 (50) 0 (0) 1 (50)
Threaten abortion 2 1 (50) 1 (50) 0 (0)
Total 189 106 (56) 46 (24) 37 (20)
Natal complication     
Labours for >12 hours/obstructed 64 51 (80) 8 (13) 5 (7.8)
Eclampsia 10 7 (70) 1 (10) 2 (20)
Spontaneous rupture of membrane without labour 7 5 (71) 1 (14) 1 (14)
Cord presentation 1 1 (100)   
Total 82 64 (78) 10 (12) 8 (9.8)
Immediate postnatal complication     
Blood loss ≥500 ml 1 1 (100)   
Retained placenta 1 1 (100)   
Total 2 2 (110)   
Total 1538 693 (45) 522 (34) 323 (21)
  1. aIndications not in the RCHC-4
  2. bHeart disease, diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis, HIV, mental illness, epilepsy
  3. cSelf request, wanted bilateral tubal ligation, severe abdominal pain, pendulous abdomen, abdominal mass, paraumbilical hernia
  4. (n = 1538)
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