[Maternal Deaths Worldwide Falling - But Commonly Preventable]

Abstract

According to data from the WHO, maternal mortality ratio has dropped worldwide by 44% between 1990 and 2015, yet more than 300,000 mothers still die annually, about 99% of them in the developing countries. In some developed countries the incidence of maternal deaths has even increased during the past 2 decades. The leading causes of direct maternal deaths are haemorrhage (nearly 3-quarters from postpartum haemorrhage), pulmonary embolism including amniotic fluid embolism, and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy; the leading cause of indirect maternal deaths is cardiac disease of the mother. The most important step to prevent maternal deaths is the accurate evaluation of each death by a multidisciplinary committee of independent experts, followed by consensus-based agreement on the underlying cause of death, the quality of care, and whether or not the death was preventable. The UK Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths and Morbidity are internationally recognized as the 'gold standard' in maternal mortality surveillance. Considering the 11 studies from different developed countries, nearly 50% of direct maternal deaths (range: 26-75%) are potentially preventable, most often those due to postpartum haemorrhage and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and the fewest of all due to amniotic fluid embolisms. The crucial point is to learn from failures leading to maternal deaths: each obstetric unit should scrutinise if and where the need for improvement exists to prevent severe maternal morbidity and mortality.