Evaluation of the usefulness of maternal mortality ratio for monitoring long-term effects of a disaster: case study on the Bam earthquake

The maternal mortality ratio is an important indicator of socioeconomic conditions in a country or area. This study in Kerman province aimed to compare maternal mortality ratios from different data sources and examine deficiencies in vital data collection in the Islamic Republic of Iran in the context of the Bam earthquake disaster (December 2003). Annual data were collected from documents before and after the earthquake and interviews were conducted with key informants. There was a large difference in maternal mortality ratios in the year of the earthquake and the year after the earthquake comparing the 2 main data sources (the family unit under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and the civil registry under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior). The reasons for this are discussed. This study also highlighted problems in collaboration between international aid agencies that hindered routine data collection.