Experience in a maternal mortality study in Nova Scotia.
Material from a three-year Maternal Mortality Study in the Province of Nova Scotia is presented. Thirty-eight maternal deaths were studied; the chief cause was hemorrhage-either antepartum or postpartum-in 52% of all cases. Seventy-six per cent of the cases were due to practically preventable factors. Inadequate prenatal care in which the family was at fault had existed in 35% of the cases studied. Physician error in judgment and/or technique was present in 65%. Efforts to correct this situation have been described briefly. The need for public education, increased numbers of consultants, continued physician education, critical hospital analysis and improved hospital facilities is stressed.
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D009674:Nova Scotia; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy
MATERNAL MORTALITY