A Retrospective Study On Maternal Deaths And Its Causes In A Tertiary Care Teaching Institute In Northern Telangana

Abstract

Background: Maternal mortality is a strong indicator for measuring the health care provided to the women by any society. Although pregnancy is considered physiological at times it leads to morbidity and even death. The aim of the study is to evaluate various epidemiological factors, causes of maternal mortality and to determine the preventable factors associated with maternal deaths. Method: A retrospective hospital based study was conducted in the Department of OBG, Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences, A tertiary care hospital in Karimnagar, Telangana State, India, over a period of 10 years from Jan 2009 to Dec 2018. Results: A total of 24 deaths were analysed. Maximum number of deaths were seen in age group 20-24 years, More deaths were seen in ante partum period (70.84%) than post partum period (29.16%). Most of them were unbooked (87.5%). than booked cases (12.5%). The classic triad of hypertensive disorders (20.8%) Sepsis (16.7%) and Haemorrhage (12.5%) were the major direct causes. Hepatitis, Heart disease in pregnancy, Respiratory disease are the common indirect causes. Conclusion: Majority of deaths were preventable by proper antenatal care, early detection of high risk pregnancies and timely referral to higher centre.

Keywords

• maternal mortality
• eclampsia
• haemorrhage
• sepsis
• maternal mortality ratio