Changing trends in maternal mortality over a decade

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Abstract
To study the change in trend in maternal mortality over the last decade and to find out specific causes of death. A retrospective study was carried out at Lady Harding Medical College, New Delhi, to analyze the causes of maternal deaths. The admission ledgers of patients admitted over two 3-year periods (1979-1981 and 1989-1991) were studied to ascertain the total number of maternal deaths and the specific causes of death. One hundred fifty-eight deaths occurred during 1979-1981 and 149 deaths during 1989-1991. During the same period there were 23,098 and 37,763 total births, respectively, the overall maternal mortality rate thus significantly declining from 684/100,000 total births in 1979-1981 to 394/100,000 total births in 1989-1991. Sepsis followed by hemorrhage and hepatitis were the leading causes of maternal deaths over the decade. Health education and availability of health services, largely at a community level, would contribute to reducing the incidence of preventable causes of maternal deaths such as sepsis and hemorrhage.

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