title: Frequency of Maternal Mortality in Urban and Rural Areas of Iranshahr County (Southeast of Iran) in 2009-2013: A Retrospective Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maternal mortality is one of the threatening factors of human life and the overall status index of women's health in any society. Death of a mother causes irreversible damage to a family and a society. This study aims at examining the causes of maternal mortality in urban and rural areas.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the frequney and causes of maternal mortality in urban and rural areas in southeast of Iran in 2009-2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective descriptive study and its research population includes the entire pregnant woman who died in Iranshahr County between April 2009 and March 2013. An eight-section questionnaire was used for collecting data. The first section was based on the hospital records of pregnant woman including mother's demographic data and the following sections were completed based on their health records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of maternal mortality during birth in the study period was 34 (of 4857). The study individuals were between 13 and 40-year-old with the mean age of 30±6.4. Maximum maternal mortality occurred in 2012. Haemorrhage was the most common cause of maternal death (38.2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As haemorrhage was the most common cause of death of pregnant women in this study, it seems necessary to improve care for woman and reduce haemorrhage and its complications during pregnancy period.
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Department of Midwifery, Iranshahr University of Medical Sciences , Iranshahr, Iran .
authors.forename: Tahmineh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karimzaei
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health, Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences , Zahedan, Iran .
authors.forename: Iraj
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zareban
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Department of Medical Education, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences , Zahedan, Iran .
authors.forename: Abdul-Qaffar
authors.initials: AQ
authors.lastname: Jamalzae
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Department of Nursing, Iranshahr University of Medical Sciences , Iranshahr, Iran .
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Darban
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Department of Midwifery, Iranshahr University of Medical Sciences , Iranshahr, Iran .
authors.forename: Khadejeh Dehghan
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Bakhshani
authors.affiliation: Student, Student Research Committee, Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Zabol University of Medical Sciences , Zabol, Iran .
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balouchi
keywords: Birth complications; Haemorrhage; Health challenges; Pregnancy complications