OBJECTIVE To analyze deaths from external causes and undefined causes in women of childbearing age occurring during pregnancy and early postpartum. METHODS The deaths of 399 women of childbearing age, resident in Recife, Northeastern Brazil, in the period 2004 to 2006, were studied. The survey utilized the Reproductive Age Mortality Survey method and a set of standardized questionnaires. Data...

BACKGROUND Hypertensive disease in pregnancy remains the leading cause of maternal mortality in the Netherlands. Seventeen percent of the clinical pregnancies are complicated by hypertension and 2% by preeclampsia. The Dutch Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (NVOG) has developed evidence-based guidelines on the management of hypertension in pregnancy and chronic hypertension. Previous studi...

OBJECTIVE To assess the association between advanced maternal age (AMA) and adverse pregnancy outcomes. DESIGN Secondary analysis of the facility-based, cross-sectional data of the WHO Multicountry Survey on Maternal and Newborn Health. SETTINGS A total of 359 health facilities in 29 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. SAMPLE A total of 308 149 singleton pregnan...

Despite a tremendous increase in financial resources, many countries are not on track to achieve the child and maternal mortality targets set out in the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. It is commonly argued that two main social factors - improved democratic governance and aggregate income - will ultimately lead to progress in reducing child and maternal mortality. However, these two facto...

BACKGROUND Current estimates of maternal mortality ratios in Kenya are at least as high as 560 deaths per 100,000 live births. Given the pervasive poverty and lack of quality health services in slum areas, the maternal mortality situation in this setting can only be expected to be worse. With a functioning health care system, most maternal deaths are avoidable if complications are identified ea...

OBJECTIVE To measure the incidence of maternal and early neonatal mortality in women who gave birth at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Kenya and describe clinical and other characteristics and circumstances associated with maternal and neonatal deaths following deliveries at MTRH. METHODS A retrospective audit of maternal and neonatal records was conducted with detailed analysis ...