title: Why do mothers die in Dakahlia, Egypt?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the causes of maternal mortality in the Dakahlia Governorate in Egypt.
  
  
  METHODS
  A confidential enquiry for each case of maternal mortality during the years 2004-2005 was carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and seventy-nine maternal deaths were reported, giving a maternal mortality rate (MMR) of 71.3/100,000 live births. 140 (78.2%) women died due to direct obstetric causes, 24 (13.4%) due to indirect causes and 15 (8.4%) due to accidental or unexplained causes. 44 (24.6%) women died during or following delivery by cesarean section and 91 (50.8%) during labor or within 24 h following delivery. Complications during cesarean delivery, postpartum hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders were the leading causes of maternal mortality. Death due to substandard care was encountered in 85% of cases. Obstetricians were responsible for 51% of causes of avoidable maternal death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal mortality in Dakahlia, although declining, is still relatively high. To further reduce maternal mortality, deliveries should be conducted at well-equipped hospitals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt. elsaidhady@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: El-Said
authors.initials: el-S
authors.lastname: Abdel-Hady
authors.forename: Abdel-Maguid
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mashaly
authors.forename: Lotfy S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Sherief
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Alaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Gohary
authors.forename: Mohamed K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Farag
authors.forename: Fouad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: El-Khoeriby
mesh_terms: D002423:Cause of Death; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D011247:Pregnancy