Analysis of maternal deaths over a period of three years at a tertiary care centre of Uttarakhand, India

Background: Globally, about 800 women die every day of preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth; 20 per cent of these women are from India. The study is aimed at evaluating maternal deaths over a period of three years at a tertiary care centre of Dehradun, India.Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at SGRRIMHS, Dehradun. The case record files of all maternal deaths from January 2015 to December 2017 was obtained from medical record section of the hospital. Maternal age, parity, educational status, antenatal registration, mode of delivery, admission death interval and causes of each maternal death was noted and analysed statistically.Results: There were 48 maternal deaths from January 2015 to December 2017.Maximum deaths were in the age group of 21-25 years. The maternal mortality ratio over a period of three years was 671 per one lac live births. Most of the maternal deaths were due to direct causes like hemorrhage , eclampsia followed by sepsis.Conclusions: Most of the maternal deaths are preventable. High risk cases should be identified at root level and early referral should be the moto. All women need access to antenatal care in pregnancy, skilled care during childbirth, and care and support in the weeks after childbirth. To avoid maternal deaths, unwanted and too-early pregnancies should be avoided. All women, including adolescents, should have access to contraception, safe abortion services to the full extent of the law, and quality post-abortion care. It is particularly important that all births are attended by skilled health professionals, as timely management and treatment can make the difference between life and death for both the mother and the baby