[Epidemiological analysis of the maternal mortality surveillance data (1996-2000) in China].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the epidemiological attributes of maternal mortality in China from 1996 to 2000 and its variance between urban and rural areas.


METHODS
The data were collected through a population-based epidemiological survey by the national maternal mortality surveillance network, which covered about 80 million people in 31 jurisdictions in China.


RESULTS
There were 1704 maternal deaths being reported from 1996 to 2000 by the surveillance network, among which 341 were in urban areas and 1363 in rural areas. In the urban reported deaths, 69.9% happened in those who had completed junior high schools and 74.5% happened in plain areas. In the rural reported deaths, 73.3% happened in those who had only completed primary schools and 65.1% happened in mountain areas. Of the total reported deaths, 76.8% deaths occurred in postpartum, 40% gave birth at home, and 28.9% received no prenatal care at all. By contrast, in the rural areas, homed deliveries were accounted for 58.5% of the reported death; 35.5% died at home; 33.1% were attended by untrained midwives 31.8% had no prenatal care.


CONCLUSIONS
Poor education, geographic remoteness, insufficient prenatal care, and lower hospitalization rate are main factors contributing to maternal mortality in China.
Liang
Juan
J
National Office for Maternal and Child Health Surveillance, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Zhu
Jun
J
Wang
Yan-ping
YP
Wu
Yan-qiao
YQ
Dai
Li
L
Miao
Lei
L
Zhou
Gang-xuan
GX
D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D036801:Parturition; D011247:Pregnancy; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult