Maternal mortality in andaman and nicobar group of islands: 10 years retrospective study.
BACKGROUND
Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is an indicator of effectiveness of health care facilities for women of child bearing age group. Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) group of islands are unique as they are situated 1200 km from the mainland India. Healthcare delivery for the these islands is exclusively provided and controlled by only one authority, Directorate of Health Services, A&N Islands. GB Pant Hospital, Port Blair is the only referral hospital with round the clock specialists and surgical services.


OBJECTIVE
To estimate the MMR in A&N islands from 2001 to 2010, and study the causes of maternal mortality.


METHODS
Retrospective.


METHODS
Data for the estimation of MMR were collected from office of Registrar of Births and Deaths, Hospital and Peripheral Health Centres. Case records of maternal deaths in GB Pant Hospital were reviewed to study the causes of death.


METHODS
Proportions and Ratios.


RESULTS
Ten years average MMR for the entire island was 85.42. Analysis of 30 maternal deaths in GB Pant Hospital showed that 63.3% were due to direct obstetric causes (eclampsia 30%, hemorrhage 23.33%, sepsis 6.66%, and 3.33% amniotic fluid embolism). Of the indirect causes, anemia was the commonest (16.66%).


CONCLUSIONS
The MMR of A&N islands is much lower than the national average of 250. Direct obstetric causes accounted for more than half of maternal deaths 63.33%.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Senior Gynaecologist, Central Health Service, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Indu
I
Chawla
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Consultant Gynaecologist, Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.
Mrinmoy Kumar
MK
Saha
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Officer, Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.
Anis
A
Akhtarkharvi
MMR; Maternal health; obstetrics deaths