Appropriateness of maternal referral system and its associated factors and barriers among women referred to selected referral hospitals in Eastern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

The three distinct attributes of referral appropriateness are referral necessity, referral destination and referral quality. Although the occurrence of obstetric complications is often unpredictable, prevention of maternal mortality requires an effective maternity referral system that provides timely treatment to effectively respond to complications. Despite this fact, there is a paucity of research on the appropriateness of maternal referral systems in Ethiopia.