A two-year retrospective study of maternal mortality in tertiary care hospitals in South India

Abstract

Background: The death of a woman during pregnancy or within 42 completed days after delivery of the baby, irrespective of the duration or site of pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy, but not from accidental or incidental causes is labelled as maternal mortality. The study was conducted with the objectives to assess the existing MMR and the causes of maternal mortality over 2 years in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: Retrospective study done from March 2021 to February 2023 at RIMS Raichur. The medical records of all maternal death over 2 years were reviewed and analysed. The data of all the maternal deaths during the study period at the department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, RIMS Raichur were recorded using a predesigned and semistructured questionnaire. Results: A total of 75 deaths were assessed over 2 years and MMR was calculated to be 726.5/1 lakh live births. Most of the maternal deaths occurred in the age group of 21-30 years (73.3%), most maternal deaths were observed in primipara (30.7%), 32% of deaths occurred within 24 hours of admission. Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (32%) were the leading direct cause followed by non-obstetric complications (17%), and haemorrhage (16%). Conclusion: To reduce maternal mortality, the crucial work starts at the grassroots level. Most deaths could have been prevented with the help of early referral, quick efficient transport facilities and the availability of blood and its products.

Keywords

• maternal mortality ratio
• post-partum haemorrhage
• pregnancy
• who icd