Ten years of maternal mortality in the "Maria Auxiliadora" Hospital: analysis of causes

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine maternal mortality during the last 10 years and establish its tendency, causes and patient characteristics. DESIGN: Epidemiologic, retrospective, descriptive and analytical study. SUBJECTS: 121 maternal deaths occurred at our Hospital between January 1988 and June 1997. RESULTS: Maternal mortality rate was 250,18/100 000 live newborns. Main characteristics were age 20 to 24 (44/36,6%), secondary education (45/48,4%), stable union (45/49%), term gestation (33/34,3%) and less than 20 weeks (28/29%). Only 28% (34) had any prenatal control. Most deaths occurred at postpartum (62/51,2%) and 31,3% (33) were primiparae; 84 (69,4) died by direct obstetrical cause and 36 (29,8%) by indirect causes. Main causes of death were preventable. Most frequent indirect cause was tuberculosis (14/11,6%); 65 (53,7%) died after 48 hours from hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Our maternal mortality rate is high in Peru, with tendency to decrease; characteristics are similar to those published.