[Maternal deaths due to infections in France 2013-2015]. / Mortalité maternelle par infection en France 2013­2015.

Over the 2013-2015 period, maternal mortality due to infections accounted for 10 % of direct maternal deaths and 13 % of indirect maternal deaths. Among the 21 deaths from infection, and compared to the last triennium, maternal deaths from genital infection doubled with 11 deaths during the 2013-2015 period. This included 6 cases of puerperal toxic shock syndrome, 4 of which due to Streptococcus A, and 5 cases of sepsis caused by intrauterine infection due to Gram-Negative Bacillus. Indirect maternal deaths due to infections from extragenital sources represented 10 deaths in this triennium, including four influenza infections and three infectious complications of an immunosuppressive state (uncontrolled HIV infection for two patients and CMV encephalitis during an immunosuppressive treatment for one patient). Of these 21 deaths by infectious causes, 6 direct maternal deaths and 9 indirect maternal deaths were considered preventable. The most common preventable factors were those related to medical management (13 times): diagnostic failure or delayed diagnosis leading to a delayed medical treatment, absence of influenza vaccination. The other contributory factors were related to the organization of healthcare (delayed transfer, lack of communication between clincians) as well as factors related to patient social vulnerability.

[Maternal deaths due to hypertensive disorders in France 2013-2015]. / Morts maternelles par complications hypertensives en France 2013­2015.

Between 2013 and 2015, six maternal deaths were due to hypertensive disorders. During this period, the maternal mortality ratio was 0.2/100,000 live births. Hypertensive disorders were responsible for 2% of maternal deaths in France and for 5% of direct maternal mortality. All these deaths happened after the delivery. Mode of delivery was a cesarean section when the hypertensive complication started before the delivery (4/6; 67%). Three had DIC during the immediate post-partum. Five women were under 35 years old. Only one had a BMI over 30. Four out of six patients were primiparous. One woman was Afro-Caribbean. Medical care was estimated non-optimal in 100% of the cases. In three cases, it was prenatal care and in three cases it was obstetrical care during delivery; anesthesia and intensive care were suboptimal in five cases. Eighty percent of these deaths seemed to be preventable. The main causes of suboptimal management were inappropriate or insufficient obstetrical and/or anesthetic treatments, and delayed optimal treatment. The analysis of these maternal deaths offers the opportunity to stress major points to optimize medical management in case of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy such as management of eclampsia (use of magnesium sulfate) or recognition of DIC when HELLP syndrome is diagnosed.

[Maternal mortality by stroke in France 2013-2015]. / Mortalité maternelles par accident vasculaire cérébrale en France 2013­2015.

Between 2013 and 2015, 20 maternal deaths were associated with stroke. Stroke was the main cause of death in 16 cases (12 hemorrhagic strokes [75%], 1 ischemic stroke and three cerebral thrombophlebitis). In the four other cases, the stroke was a complication of another pathology. The 16 deaths directly related to stroke account for 5.7% of all maternal deaths (maternal mortality ratio of 0.7/100,000 live births vs. 0.9/100,000 over the period 2010-2012, NS). Stroke occurred during pregnancy in 8 cases (50%). Three patients died without giving birth and the 5 others gave birth by emergency caesarean section. In the remaining eight cases (50%), stroke occurred between day 0 and day 54 during the post-partum period. The mean age was 35.5 years, with 9 women being more than 35 years old (56%). One or more factors of sub-optimal care were present in 28% of the cases, and 8% of deaths were considered possibly or probably preventable. The last four strokes were associated with another pathology (eclampsia [n=2], hepatic cirrhosis [n=1], possible complication of spinal anesthesia [n=1]).