[Analysis of trends in maternal mortality during a 10 year-follow up in a urban region].
BACKGROUND
Maternal mortality is considered a worldwide health problem, since the WHO has estimated that there are 500,000 maternal deaths annually and that the highest percentage of these deaths occurs in developed countries. It was not until 1970 that this problem became important, by revising the birth's registrations and the maternal causes of morbidity and mortality, and that the mortality committees study began.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the epidemiological profile and the trend of the maternal mortality in a urban hospital.


METHODS
This retrospective and descriptive study was carried out at the Reproductive Health Coordination of the Centro Medico Nacional La Raza, through the registrations of the maternal deaths reported from 1993 to 2002 by the local committees of maternal mortality. Maternal mortality was defined as an event occurred during pregnancy or within 42 days after delivery, by any associated cause and aggravated by the same pregnancy. We used analytic and descriptive statistics, with central trend measurements, as well as chi square test.


RESULTS
During the 10 years of analysis, 244 deaths were shown, with mean per year of 24.4 +/- 5.2 deaths. Preeclampsia-eclampsia, hypovolemia and sepsis represented 71.7% of the cases. The highest number of deaths ranged from 30 to 34 years, with 64 deaths. Women with the first pregnancy had the highest number of deaths, with incidence of one maternal death for each 664.7 +/- 135.6 new born in each year.


CONCLUSIONS
The main maternal deaths per year corresponded to direct obstetric causes, with percentages from 53.3 to 86.9% annually, where preeclampsia-eclampsia syndrome maintains these high percentages, with a death average within the international standard parameters considered adequate.
Ferrer Arreola
Lorena
L
IMSS, Hospital de Ginecología y Obstetricia Núm 3, Centro Médico Nacional La Raza.
Basavilvazo Rodríguez
María Antonia
MA
Lemus Rocha
Roberto
R
Toca Porraz
Luis
L
Hernández Valencia
Marcelino
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014505:Urban Population