The maternal mortality rate in Al-Diwaniyah Province in Iraq: retrospective data retrieval of four years

Abstract

The term maternal mortality is applied when women die during pregnancy, at time of delivery or during puerperium. This catastrophic event carries gloomy future to the index child, rest of children as well as the rest of family; also, the high rate of maternal mortality is an indication of inadequate health care system. Estimation of maternal mortality rate and identifying significant causes are mandatory steps toward making a plan to improve the health care system in our country particularly in the mid-Euphrates region. This study was aimed to estimate maternal mortality rate based on a hospital study in Al-Diwaniyah Province in the Mid-Euphrates region of Iraq. Data were obtained from the records belonging to Al-Diwaniyah Maternity hospital and other hospitals in the province. We were able to retrieve information regarding women who died during pregnancy, labour, and puerperium for the years 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Data included the age of the mother, gestational age, parity, educational level, residency, site of delivery and mode of delivery. The results of this study revealed that maternal mortality rates were 22.8, 42.9, 34.7 and 35.7 per 100000 live births concerning the years 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively, and 33.9 per 100000 live births in average for the included four years. The leading causes of death were haemorrhage and pulmonary embolism. The maternal mortality rate is higher in Iraq; however, it is less in Al-Diwaniyah Province than national figures, and the leading causes of maternal mortality are haemorrhage and pulmonary embolism.