Maternal mortality: a hospital-based study

ABSTRACT

A retrospective study of 65 maternal deaths which occurred in one obstetric unit at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore over a period of 10 years from 1983-1992 is presented in this paper. The total live births during this period were 30, 310. Hence, maternal mortality was 2.25 per 1000 live births. Four [6.15%] deaths occurred amongst patients under-20 years of age and 6 [9.23%] in patients above 39 years. Twenty-nine [44.61%] cases were associated with high parity i.e. more than para 5. Only 10 [15.38%] cases had antenatal care. Fourteen cases [21.54%] were either dead or in a moribund condition on reaching the hospital. Fifty-three deaths [81.54%] occurred due to direct causes, with hypertension and haemorrhage accounting for 32 [49.22%] deaths. Thirty-two deaths [49.22%] took place in the postpartum period