title: How safe is caesarean section.
abstract: Over an almost 5 year period, 8,017 caesarean sections were done, and there were 51 maternal deaths following caesarean section (of which 5 were done outside). Caesarean section deaths accounted for 1 in 8 overall maternal deaths in the hospital, and institutional mortality for caesarean section was 5.7/1,000 operations. The causes of death included haemorragic shock in 19 (37.3%), general anaesthesia (11.6%), hypertensive disorders 5 (9.8%), general anaesthesia in hypertensive pregnancies 4 (7.8%), septicaemia 7 (13.7%), hepatic failure 3 (5.9%), pulmonary edema 2 (3.9%) and unknown including pulmonary embolism 6 (11.6%). Five deaths followed elective operations. Caesarean section done in cases of antepartum haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, post caesarean pregnancies with adherent placentae and obstructed labour caused the majority of caesarean mortalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Eden Hospital Medical College, Calcutta, India.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mukherji
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Samaddar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors