title: Maternal mortality cases from pulmonary embolism: A nation-wide study in Turkey.
abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the maternal mortality cases attributed to pulmonary embolism (PE). PE constituted 7.58% of maternal deaths in 2013. Risk factors for PE were present in 15 (88.2%) of the women. Five women (29.4%) were overweight, and 5 (29.4%) were obese. Four women (23.5%) had cardiac diseases. PE occurred in the postpartum period after caesarean delivery in 9 (52.9%) patients. Eleven (64.7%) of the maternal deaths were recognised as preventable. More deaths attributed to PE occurred in the postpartum period (n = 11) than the antepartum period (n = 5). One other maternal mortality case was after therapeutic abortion. Caesarean section, obesity and cardiac diseases were important risk factors. It can be suggested that monitoring all risk factors and timely recognition of related symptoms and signs with initiation of appropriate management have paramount importance for reducing maternal mortality rate related to pulmonary embolism. Increasing awareness of healthcare professionals as well as the public, and continuously reviewing the cases are also important tools for achieving this goal.
authors.affiliation: a Turkish Public Health Agency, Preliminary Investigation Committee for Maternal Deaths, Government of Health , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanisoğlu
authors.affiliation: a Turkish Public Health Agency, Preliminary Investigation Committee for Maternal Deaths, Government of Health , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Uygur
authors.affiliation: a Turkish Public Health Agency, Preliminary Investigation Committee for Maternal Deaths, Government of Health , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Bekir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Keskinkılıç
authors.affiliation: a Turkish Public Health Agency, Preliminary Investigation Committee for Maternal Deaths, Government of Health , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Yaprak
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Engin-Üstün
authors.affiliation: a Turkish Public Health Agency, Preliminary Investigation Committee for Maternal Deaths, Government of Health , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Hüseyin Levent
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Keskin
authors.affiliation: a Turkish Public Health Agency, Preliminary Investigation Committee for Maternal Deaths, Government of Health , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Selma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karaahmetoğlu
authors.affiliation: a Turkish Public Health Agency, Preliminary Investigation Committee for Maternal Deaths, Government of Health , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayşe
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Özcan
authors.affiliation: a Turkish Public Health Agency, Preliminary Investigation Committee for Maternal Deaths, Government of Health , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Meral
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esen
authors.affiliation: a Turkish Public Health Agency, Preliminary Investigation Committee for Maternal Deaths, Government of Health , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Veli
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ongun
authors.affiliation: a Turkish Public Health Agency, Preliminary Investigation Committee for Maternal Deaths, Government of Health , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Seçil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Özkan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000401:mortality; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Maternal mortality; Turkey; pulmonary embolism; risk factors; venous thromboembolism