HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by GUHA-RAY, D. K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by GUHA-RAY, D. K.

Maternal Mortality in an Urban Hospital

A Fifteen- Year Survey

From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Magee Women's Hospital. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Abstract

A 15-ycar survey of maternal mortality in a large urban hospital revealed an overall rate of 2.95 deaths per 10,000 pregnancies (3.44 per 10,000 live births), representing 31 maternal deaths among approximately 105,000 deliveries and spontaneous and therapeutic abortions. This rate showed marked improvement during the 15-year period, ie, 6.56 per 10,000 pregnancies for the first 5 years as compared to only 1.37 per 10,000 pregnancies Tor the last 10 years. In contrast to the classic triad of causes of maternal death—toxemia, hemorrhage, and sepsis—the principal cause of death in this series was amniotic fluid embolism. Other aspects of the causes of death and of the findings are discussed. Among the 32 fetuses, total fetal wastage was 63%, with a neonatal mortality of 87b and a fetal mortality of 46%.