Maternal mortality

Question 1

Definition Maternal mortality

Answer 1

§ The death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, from any cause related to
the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes. ~211 deaths/ 100,000 live
birth globally.

Question 2

Is maternal mortality divided into groups ? Name

Answer 2

§ Direct deaths: those resulting from conditions or complications or their management that is unique to
pregnancy, occurring during the antenatal, intrapartum or postpartum periods.

§ Indirect deaths: those resulting from previously existing disease, or disease that develops during pregnancy
not as the result of direct obstetric causes, but which were aggravated by physiological effects of
pregnancy.

§ Late: deaths occurring between 42 days and 1 year after abortion, miscarriage or delivery that are the result
of direct or indirect maternal causes.

§ Coincidental (fortuitous): Deaths from unrelated causes that occur in pregnancy or the puerperium.

Question 3

Direct deaths

Answer 3

those resulting from conditions or complications or their management that is unique to
pregnancy, occurring during the antenatal, intrapartum or postpartum periods

Question 4

Indirect deaths

Answer 4

those resulting from previously existing disease, or disease that develops during pregnancy
not as the result of direct obstetric causes, but which were aggravated by physiological effects of
pregnancy.

Question 5

Late

Answer 5

deaths occurring between 42 days and 1 year after abortion, miscarriage or delivery that are the result
of direct or indirect maternal causes.

Question 6

Coincidental (fortuitous)

Answer 6

Deaths from unrelated causes that occur in pregnancy or the puerperium.

Question 7

Maternal mortality ratio

Answer 7

(MMR) is the number of direct and indirect deaths per 100 000 live births.

Question 8

Maternities

Answer 8

are the number of pregnancies that result in a live birth at any gestation or stillbirths occurring at or
after 24 completed weeks of gestation and are required to be notified by law. Important for accurate measure of
mortality rate and for global comparisons.

Question 9

4 most common direct cause of maternal death

Answer 9

Severe bleeding after childbirth, infections, hypertensive
disorders, unsafe abortion and other factors include sepsis, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, thrombosis,
thromboembolism, amniotic fluid embolism, early pregnancy deaths and smoking.

Question 10

Indirect causes of maternal deaths

Answer 10

cardiac disease, neurological conditions, indirect malignancies and
psychiatry.