Maternal mortality in Cameroon: a university teaching hospital report

More than 550,000 women die yearly from pregnancy-related causes. Fifty percent (50%) of the world estimate of maternal deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa alone. There is insufficient information on the risk factors of maternal mortality in Cameroon. This study aimed at establishing causes and risk factors of maternal mortality. This was a case-control study from 1st January, 2006 to 31st December, 2010 after National Ethical Committee Approval. Cases were maternal deaths; controls were women who delivered normally. Maternal deaths were obtained from the delivery room registers and in-patient registers. Controls for each case were two normal deliveries following identified maternal deaths on the same day. Variables considered were socio-demographic and reproductive health characteristics. Epi Info 3.5.1 was used for analysis. The mean MMR was 287.5/100,000 live births. Causes of deaths were: postpartum hemorrhage (229.2%), unsafe abortion (25%), ectopic pregnancy (12.5%), hypertension in pregnancy (8.3%), malaria (8.3%), anemia (8.3%), heart disease (4.2%), and pneumonia (4.2%), and placenta praevia (4.2%).Ages ranged from 18 to 41 years, with a mean of 27.7 ± 5.14 years. Lack of antenatal care was a risk factor for maternal death (OR=78.33; CI: (8.66- 1802.51)). The mean MMR from 2006 to 2010 was 287.5/100,000 live births. Most of the causes of maternal deaths were preventable. Lack of antenatal care was a risk factor for maternal mortality. Key words: Maternal mortality, causes, risk factors, Cameroon.Keywords: Pregnancy, maternal death, Yaoundé, Cameroon, causes, risk factor

South Atlantic intermediate water advances into the North-east Atlantic with reduced Atlantic meridional overturning circulation during the last glacial period

The Nd isotopic composition (epsilon Nd) of seawater and cold-water coral (CWC) samples from the Gulf of Cadiz and the Alboran Sea, at a depth of 280-827 m were investigated in order to constrain middepth water mass dynamics within the Gulf of Cadiz over the past 40 ka. epsilon Nd of glacial and Holocene CWC from the Alboran Sea and the northern Gulf of Cadiz reveals relatively constant values (-8.6 to -9.0 and -9.5 to -10.4, respectively). Such values are similar to those of the surrounding present-day middepth waters from the Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW; epsilon Nd approximate to -9.4) and Mediterranean Sea Water (MSW; epsilon Nd approximate to -9.9). In contrast, glacial epsilon Nd values for CWC collected at thermocline depth (550-827 m) in the southern Gulf of Cadiz display a higher average value (-8.90.4) compared to the present-day value (-11.70.3). This implies a higher relative contribution of water masses of Mediterranean (MSW) or South Atlantic origin (East Antarctic Intermediate Water, EAAIW). Our study has produced the first evidence of significant radiogenic epsilon Nd values (approximate to -8) at 19, 23-24, and 27 ka, which are coeval with increasing iceberg discharges and a weakening of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Since MOW epsilon Nd values remained stable during the last glacial period, it is suggested that these radiogenic epsilon Nd values most likely reflect an enhanced northward propagation of glacial EAAIW into the eastern Atlantic Basin

Gesteinsmagnetische und geochemische Signale der spätquartärenKlimavariabilität Nordwestafrikas

This thesis investigates the paleo- climatic and environmental changes over northwest Africa by focusing on the Senegal region and the Gulf of Guinea. Emphasis was placed on the timing of past climate changes, the frequency of occurrence, and regional impact. Possible shifts in the position of the intertropical conversion zone (ITCZ) were also investigated. A multi proxy approach integrating rock and environmental magnetic parameters diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, color reflectance and climate modeling experiments was employed. The results show that a climatic boundary which certainly reflects the southward shift of the northern limit of summer position of the ITCZ existed between 13 and 12à �à °N during the last glacial. The West African monsoon varied at D O times-scales at 12à �à °N, demonstrating that drier conditions occurred further south of the Sahel than previously reported. A fresh water hosing experiment using coupled climate model experiment suggested that the North Atlantic sea surface temperature and West African climate are linked by shifts in the position of the monsoon trough and the mid tropospheric African Easterly jet. The cooling of the North Atlantic sea surface is directly linked to the weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturing Circulation. Further more, climate change regulated the influx of magnetic minerals and post depositional alteration in the Senegalese sediments. Interglacial showed lower concentrations of magnetic particles, with high concentration of euhedral and framboidal pyrite. Wind derived sediments dominated the glacial with hematite and goethite prominent at these intervals as a result of increase input of Saharan dust. This studies shows that climate over this region varies at different times scales and is interconnected with global climatic signals

Rock magnetic and geochemical signals of late Quaternary climate variability over northwest Africa

This thesis investigates the paleo- climatic and environmental changes over northwest Africa by focusing on the Senegal region and the Gulf of Guinea. Emphasis was placed on the timing of past climate changes, the frequency of occurrence, and regional impact. Possible shifts in the position of the intertropical conversion zone (ITCZ) were also investigated. A multi proxy approach integrating rock and environmental magnetic parameters diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, color reflectance and climate modeling experiments was employed. The results show that a climatic boundary which certainly reflects the southward shift of the northern limit of summer position of the ITCZ existed between 13 and 12à �à °N during the last glacial. The West African monsoon varied at D O times-scales at 12à �à °N, demonstrating that drier conditions occurred further south of the Sahel than previously reported. A fresh water hosing experiment using coupled climate model experiment suggested that the North Atlantic sea surface temperature and West African climate are linked by shifts in the position of the monsoon trough and the mid tropospheric African Easterly jet. The cooling of the North Atlantic sea surface is directly linked to the weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturing Circulation. Further more, climate change regulated the influx of magnetic minerals and post depositional alteration in the Senegalese sediments. Interglacial showed lower concentrations of magnetic particles, with high concentration of euhedral and framboidal pyrite. Wind derived sediments dominated the glacial with hematite and goethite prominent at these intervals as a result of increase input of Saharan dust. This studies shows that climate over this region varies at different times scales and is interconnected with global climatic signals