title: Lessons from 150 years of UK maternal hemorrhage deaths.
abstract: We have reviewed maternal hemorrhage death rates in the UK over the past 150 years in order to draw lessons from this material for current attempts to reduce global maternal mortality. Mortality rates from data in the UK Annual Reports from the Registrar General were entered into a database. Charts were created to display trends in hemorrhage mortality, allowing comparison with historical medical advances. Hemorrhage death rates fell steadily before the 1930s; between 1874 and 1926 they fell by 56%. In contrast, there was no consistent reduction in overall maternal mortality rates until the 1930s; from 1932 to 1952 they fell by 85%, primarily due to a reduction in sepsis deaths. In conclusion the majority of maternal hemorrhage mortality reductions in the UK occurred prior to the availability of effective oxytocics, antibiotics, and blood transfusion. Improving access to and standards of maternal care is key to addressing global maternal mortality today.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Liverpool Women's Hospital, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Robert Stuart
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.affiliation: Sanyu Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Women's Hospital, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew David
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Weeks
mesh_terms: D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000266:history* / Q000401:mortality*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality / Q000266:history*; D011247:Pregnancy; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Maternal mortality; hemorrhage; history - 19th century; history - 20th century; postpartum hemorrhage; women's health issues in developing countries