RESUMO
Understanding the extent of maternal deaths especially those due to medicolegal causes as homicide, suicide, accidents, illegal abortion and medical malpractice in women of childbearing age, may lead to improved identification of preventable problems that contribute to maternal morbidity and mortality. Maternal death due to unnatural [medicolegal] causes i.e. deaths due to violence, sudden and unexpected deaths, deaths due to medical malpractice and, in particular, those due to trauma- are increasing and forming the main causes of the maternal deaths. Maternal deaths due to natural causes i.e. direct or indirect obstetrical causes are decreasing nowadays, as a result of rapid progress in the methods of diagnosis and treatment of the various medical conditions affecting women during pregnancy, delivery and puerperium. Medical malpractice represented an important cause of the maternal deaths, especially with the development of the medical care standards. Because of this, if an accident happens the obstetrician more than any other doctor perhaps can find himself in the courts. To avoid this he has to know very well the causes of maternal mortality in order to avoid them as far as possible