IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

South Africa is experiencing a decrease in maternal mortality in facility ratio (MMFR), although with variations by province. The ratio peaked in 2012 at 144,9 deaths per 100 000 live births and has since observed a gradual decline to 88,0 deaths per 100 000 live births in 2020. Neonatal death in facility rate was consistent from 2019 to 2020 at 12,1 deaths per 1 000 live births. However, antenatal first visit before 20 weeks rate observed a decline from 69,7% in 2019 to 68,3% in 2020. Also, stillbirth in facility rate decreased from 21 in 2018 to 19 per 1 000 births in 2020. Provincial distribution showed an increase from 18 to 20 in Eastern Cape and 21 to 22 per 1 000 births in KwaZulu-Natal from 2019 to 2020. Antenatal first visit before 20 weeks observed a drop in 2020.

Late adolescent (15-19 years) pregnancy has been increasing with age in South Africa. The proportion increased from 6,0% to 7,0% between 2018 to 2019. A slightly higher proportion of women 15-49 were not currently using any method (51,8%), compared to those using modern methods (47,9%) in South Africa. The norethisterone injection (47,9%) reported the highest percentage change in distribution between 2018/19 and 2019/20. In terms of all the pregnancies terminated, the proportion terminated in 0-12 weeks increased from 88,9% to 90,4% from 2019 to 2020 in South Africa; with Northern Cape (98,3%), closely followed by Mpumalanga (98,1%) province reporting the highest rates in 2020. Delivery by 10-19 years old in facility rate reported an average of 14% between 2018 and 2020. The proportion was highest in Northern Cape (18,4%) and lowest in Gauteng province (8,7%) in 2020.

About 39,7% of ever partnered women who are divorced ever experienced physical violence. Women in Eastern Cape and North west recorded a high proportion of physical violence at 31,4% and 29,5% respectively. HIV prevalence was highest among sexually active women in the age groups 25-29 to 45-49. The rate of HIV positive women who were already on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) at 1st antenatal visit increased in all the provinces and at national level. The rate increased from 61,7% in 2018 to 71,5% in 2020 in the country. The highest rate was reported in Western Cape (77,6%), followed by Free State (77,4%) and KwaZulu-Natal (76,6%) in 2020. Women in the middle age group (35-39) had the highest number of COVID-19 cumulative cases. They are also more likely to vaccinate against the pandemic. Women in the age group 40-44 (46,6%) and above recorded the highest proportion of deaths due to non-communicable diseases. Although those in the age groups 15-19 and 40-44 had the highest proportion of deaths due to communicable diseases.