Background: Reproductive health outcomes are a measure of maternal and neonatal health.
South Africa’s state of maternal health is of particular concern because of the two
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targets for monitoring maternal health, namely
MDG 5a, to reduce the maternal mortality rate by three-quarters, and MDG 5b, to achieve
universal access to reproductive health by 2015. Maternal mortality ratio and universal
access to reproductive health receive unequal responsiveness from government. Monitoring
the maternal mortality ratio has received favourable attention compared to ensuring
universal access to reproductive health, hence the limited published research findings on
the latter.
Objectives: The purpose of this article is to report on the insights from reproductive health
experts and verbal autopsies on the determinants of poor reproductive health outcomes.
Method: Individual interviews with a purposively selected sample of six reproductive
health experts were conducted, augmented by verbal autopsies of 12 next of kin of women
and newborn babies who died within the previous 2 years period of the study. Burnard’s
(1995) approach of content analysis was used to analyse the data.
Results: The findings revealed lack of empowerment, inaccessible reproductive health services
and separation of patients living with human immune deficiency virus and those patients
diagnosed with acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
Conclusion: To meet the reproductive health needs, especially of the rural population, urgent
attention is needed to reduce their vulnerability to the risks of poor reproductive outcomes