title: Why did maternal mortality decline in Matlab?
abstract: In 1991, an article on the Maternity Care Program in Matlab, Bangladesh, reported a substantial decline in direct obstetric deaths in the intervention area, but not in the control area. The decline was attributed primarily to the posting of midwives at the village level. In this article, data are presented from the same period and area on a variety of intermediate events. They indicate that the decline in deaths was probably due to the combined efforts of community midwives and the physicians at the Matlab maternity clinic. Their ability to refer patients to higher levels of care was important. The data further indicate that the decline in deaths depended upon the functioning of the government hospital in Chandpur, where cesarean sections and blood transfusions were available. Midwives might also have made a special contribution by providing early termination of pregnancy, which is legal in Bangladesh.
authors.affiliation: Prevention of Maternal Mortality Program, Columbia University School of Public Health, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maine
authors.forename: M Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Akalin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Francisco
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strong
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D008880:Midwifery / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies