title: Autopsy study of maternal deaths.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To obtain an insight into the underlying disorder or pathologies in different organs or systems, and to attempt clinicopathologic correlation in maternal deaths.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective study of 95 maternal autopsies done from 1993 to 2000 in Sassoon General Hospital, Pune, India. External examination, in situ examination, gross and microscopic examination was done in each case. The cause of death was arrived at after reviewing clinical details, available investigations, morphological findings, and clinicopathologic correlation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-five (45.02%) out of 211 maternal deaths were autopsied. Out of 95, there were 47 (49.5%) direct obstetric deaths, and 33 (34.7%) indirect obstetric deaths. Fifteen (15.8%) deaths were unrelated to pregnancy, 14 of which were due to infections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypertensive disorders associated with pregnancy (24.2%) and anemia (14.7%) were most common. In the hypertensive group, important findings were disseminated intravascular coagulation, hemorrhages in different organs and thromboemboli. Two cases were HIV seropositive. The autopsy helped to elucidate factors contributing to death and pathology in different organ systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, B.J. Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India. kavatkaranita@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Kavatkar
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Sahasrabudhe
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Jadhav
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Deshmukh
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000401:mortality; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies