Cameroon

African Region

Maternal and Perinatal Health Profile

Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (MCA/WHO)
Demographics and Information System
Total population (2012) [1]

Health status indicators - Maternal and Perinatal mortality

21,699,631

5,132,760
657,685
1.03
Sex ratio at births (2005-10) [1]
70.1
Birth registration coverage [2]
4.9
Total fertility rate (2012) [1]
131
Adolescent fertility rate [per 1000 woman] (2005-2010) [1]
3,571,565
Under five population [1]
Total women aged 15-49 years (2012) [1]

Annual number of maternal deaths (2010) [3]

Annual number of births (2012) [1]

Perinatal moratlity rate (2011)[4]

Coverage of vital registration of deaths [2]

690
4,900

Maternal mortality ratio (2010) [3]

26
28
21,963

Stillbirth rate (2009)[3]

Neonatal mortality rate per 1000 live births (2012) [5]
Annual number of neonatal deaths (2012) [5]

Sources: [1] Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, World Population Prospects: The 2012 Revision.
[2] WHO, World Health Statistics 2013 .
[3] WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and The World Bank estimates. Trends in maternal mortality: 1990 to 2010.
[4] Demographic Health Survey.
[5] UNICEF/WHO/The World Bank/UN Pop Div. Levels and Trends in Child Mortality. Report 201 3.

Maternal nutrition

Pregnancy involving risks

Prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women

Night blindness (adjusted)

49.9

Birth interval <24 months and birth order >3

7.5

Total age <18 and birth interval <24 months

0.8

Iron tablets taken during pregnancy (any tablets)

79.1

Source: Demographic Health Survey (2011)

Maternal mortality
One of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that has made some progress, albeit slow, is MDG 5: Improve maternal
health. The two targets for assessing MDG 5 are reducing the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) by three quarters between 1990 and
2015, and achieving universal access to reproductive health by 2015.

Maternal mortality ratio (MMR): maternal mortality per 100 000 live births

Progress towards improving maternal health

MDG 5 target by 2015

3
0.2
0.4
0.9
No progress

800
Per 100 000 LB

% change in MMR between 1990-2010

Average annual % change in MMR 1990-2010
Range of uncertainly on annual % change in MMR
(lower estimate)
Range of uncertainly on annual % change in MMR
(upper estimate)

600

670

720

730

400No Data Available

720 690
MDG5
Target, 168

200
0
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

167.5

Note: Consultations with countries were carried out following the development of the MMR estimates. The purposes of the consultations were primarily: to
give countries the opportunity to review the country estimates, data sources and methods; to obtain additional primary data sources that may not have
been previously reported or used; and to build mutual understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of available data and ensure broad ownership of
the results.
Source:

WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and The World Bank estimates. Trends in maternal mortality: 1990 to 2010.

Cameroon

Early and late neonatal deaths (proportion of death by timing)

A neonatal death is defined as a death during the first 28 days of life (0-27 days). Early neonatal death refers to a death
between 0-6 days after birth. Late neonatal death refer to a death between 7-27 days after birth.

No Data Available

Late
neonatal
deaths
22%

24-48 hours
31%

within 24 hours
Early neonatal
18%
deaths
78%
Day 6
1%
Day 5
4%

Source: Demographic and Health Survey

Day 4 Day 3
3% 7%

4872hours
14%

Source: Demographic Health Survey (2011)

Trend of intervention coverage across continuum of care for maternal and perinatal health

100

80 No Data Available

60

40

20

0
% of women
currently using
modern
contraceptives

% of women
received ANC (at
least once)

% women who
received ANC 4
times or more

1991

IPT during ANC visit

Place of delivery - % of births delivered % of women who

Any health facility
by C-section
had PNC within 2
days

1998

2011

2004

Source: Demographic and Health Survey

Maternal and perinatal country profile

Cameroon

Place of birth and type of provider

Type of postnatal care provider

- who provides the postnatal care?

Place of Births - Where are babies born?

Not known
1.0%
No Data Available

Other
0.5%

Qualified
doctor
No Data
Available
12.9%

Private
hospital
21.0%

Public
hospital
40.2%

Nurse/mid
wife/auxill
ary nurse
22.4%

Home
37.3%

Source: Demographic Health Survey (2011)

Nontrained
providers
1.7%

No
checkup
63.0%

Source: Demographic Health Survey (2011)

Intervention coverage across continuum of care by geographical areas

100%
80%
60%

No Data Available
40%
20%
0%

% of births assisted by skilled birth attendant

% of births received post-natal care within 48 h

% of births delivered by C-section

% of births in health facilities

Source: Demographic Health Survey (2011)

Maternal and perinatal country profile

Cameroon

Equity across continuum of care

100

80

Percent

No Data Available

98.5
95.6

96.8

95

84.7

86.7

84.6

75.6

72.7
61.2

60

57.1

58.7
49.4

46.7

44.1

40

37
25.7
20.8

20

27.8
10.8

19.1
14.4
8.7
2.4

% of women
currently using
modern
contraceptive

17.1

7
3.8
1.5 0.6

% women who
% births assisted
received any ANC
by skilled
by skilled provider
personnel

Poorest

Richest

9.7

% of births by C- % births in health

% of births
section
facilities
received postnatal
care

Urban

Rural

Total

Note:
If more than one source of ANC was mentioned, only the provider with highest qualification is conserved in this tabulation.
Source: Demographic Health Survey (2011)

Utilization of services by wealth quintile

% of births in health facility

% of births assisted by skilled personnel

100
Equity gap
% of births assisted by skilled
personnel

% of birth in health facility

90
80
70

No Data Available

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Lowest

Second
Middle
Fourth
Wealth quintile

Source: Demographic Health Survey (2011)

Highest

100
Equity gap
90
80
No Data Available
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Lowest Second Middle Fourth
Wealth quintile

Source: Demographic Health Survey (2011)

Maternal and perinatal country profile

Highest

Cameroon

% of mothers with postnatal checkup in <2 days of delivery

100
Equity gap
90
80
No
70 Data Available
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Lowest Second Middle Fourth
Wealth quintile

100
Equity gap
90
80
No70Data Available
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Lowest Second Middle
Wealth quintile

% of birthts received post-natal care

% of births delivered by C-section

% of births delivered by C-section

Highest

Fourth

Highest

Source: Demographic Health Survey (2011)

Source: Demographic Health Survey (2011)

Quality of care indicators

Reasons for not seeking medical care

Contents of ANC can be an important indicator for

accessing the quality of ANC services that pregnant
women receive in order to be prepared for
complications and any danger signs associated with
pregnancy and childbirth.

Many barriers can prevent women from seeking medical

care in general when needed. Understanding these
factors is critical to improve the accessibility and
utilization of medical care during pregnancy and
childbirth.
Knowing where
to go for
treatment

Signs of
pregnancy
complicatio
ns
Available

Any of the
problems

80
60
40
20
0

Blood
sample
taken

100

Getting
permission to
go for

80
No Data
Available
specified

No Data 100

Weight
measured

Concern there
may not be a
female provider

Height
measured

60
40
20
0

Getting money
for treatment

Not wanting to
go alone

Distance to
health facility
Having to take
transport

Urine
sample
taken

Richest

Total

Blood
pressure
measured

Poorest

Source: Demographic Health Survey (2011)

Total

Source: Demographic Health Survey (2011)

Maternal and perinatal country profile

Cameroon

Midwifery workforce
Midwives (including nurse-midwives) 1
Other health professionals with some midwifery competencies 2
General practitioners with some midwifery competencies

122 Obstetricians
245 Community health workers with some midwifery
1,452 training

102
-

Source: UNFPA, State of the World's Midwifery 2011 report.

Notes: 1. Includes midwives, nurse-midwives and nurses with midwifery competencies. These figures do not necessarily reflect the number of practicing
midwives or the ICM definition of a midwife. 2. Auxiliary midwives and auxiliary nurse-midwives

Health system and policy indicators

Health system and policy indicators
Does the national policy/policy statement indicate the minimum ANC visits during the normal pregnancy?
If yes, how many visits

Is there a national policy or policy statement on the right of every woman to have access to skilled care at
childbirth?

Is there a national policy on discharge of mother and the baby after normal cildbirth at facility?

Is there a policy recommending postnatal follow up visit/review by a trained provider for mother and newborn?

Maternal deaths review

Does national policy require all maternal deaths to be notified within 24h to a central authority? Y/N
What year was the policy adopted?

Does the national policy require all maternal deaths to be reviewed?

If yes, what year was the policy adopted?

Is there a facility maternal death review (audit) process in place?

Is there a community maternal death review (audit) process in place?

Is there a national panel (committee) to review maternal deaths in place?

How often does the panel meet?

Is there a subnational panel (committee) to review maternal deaths in place?

Stillbirths
-

Is there a policy that requires all stillbirths (fresh or macerated) to be reviewed?

What year was the policy adopted?

Is there a facility stillbirth review (audit) process in place?

Is there a community stillbirths review (audit) process in place?

Neonatal deaths
-

Is there a policy that requires all neonatal deaths (0-28 days) to be reviewed?
What year was the policy adopted?

Is there a facility neonatal deaths review (audit) process in place?

Is there a community neonatal death review (audit) process in place?

Essential drugs list for maternal and newborn health

Does national Essential Drugs List include the following drugs indicated for use during pregnancy, childbirth?

Magnesium Sulphate

Oxytocin
Source: WHO: Maternal newborn, child and adolescent health policy database based on key informant surveys in 2009-10 & 2011

Maternal and perinatal country profile