Maternal death at an inner-city hospital, 1949-2000

ctive: The purpose of this study was to determine the rates and causes of maternal deaths at an inner-city hospital from 1949 through 2000. Study Design: Death summaries, autopsy reports, and previously collected data were reviewed for maternal deaths from January 1949 through December 2000. The χ2 and Fisher exact tests were used to test the relationship between time and classification of death. Results: There were 290 maternal deaths and 314,436 live births, for a hospital-specific maternal mortality rate of 92.2 per 100,000. The percentage of deaths that were related directly to pregnancy decreased, and the percentage of deaths that were unrelated to pregnancy increased (P < .001). This is attributable to a decrease in deaths from obstetric infections and hemorrhage and an increase in deaths from nonobstetric infections and homicide. Conclusion: The major causes of maternal death in our hospital have changed. A better understanding of these causes may lead to more effective prevention efforts. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:1213-6.)