Maternal mortality and its causes in Kermanshah Province, Iran: trends between ۲۰۱۱ and ۲۰۲۱

Maternal mortality is one of the critical public health challenges worldwide, especially in less developed countries. Understanding the burden, trend, and causes of maternal deaths is a key requirement to further policymaking, resource allocation, and devise targeted intervention policy. Therefore, this study was aimed to estimate the maternal mortality rate (MMR) and highlight the associated causes in Kermanshah province, western Iran during ۲۰۱۱–۲۰۲۱. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Kermanshah Province, in the west of Iran, from March ۲۰۱۱ to December ۲۰۲۱. The study population included pregnant women who died from causes related to pregnancy or childbirth and had healthcare records in the rural or urban health centers of the province. During the ۱۰-year study period, ۶۹ maternal deaths occurred. Maximum maternal deaths (۳۰.۴%) were reported in the age group of ۳۶ to ۴۰ years. Nearly ۷۵% of the mothers were at high risk during the perinatal period. Approximately ۴۲% had a history of a major chronic illness. Plus, ۵۵.۱% of maternal deaths were due to direct causes comprising hemorrhage (۲۱.۷%), pregnancy-related infection (۲۰.۳%), and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (۱۱.۶%) whereas, ۴۴.۹% were due to indirect causes including pulmonary embolism (۱۳%), suicide (۱۱.۶%), and cardiovascular disease (۱۰.۱%). The MMR during the period of the study elevated from ۱۸ deaths per ۱۰۰ ۰۰۰ live births in ۲۰۱۱ to ۳۶ in ۲۰۲۱. This study has suggested that mothers in the postpartum period need to be monitored more carefully, and especially for hemorrhage.

Keywords:

Maternal mortality , Burden , Trend , Causes.