Evaluation factors affecting the maternal mortality among pregnant women during 2001–2011 in Ardabil Province, Iran

Abstract

Background: considering health indicators, analyzing pregnant women population is an important subject and mortality degree among this population is disastrous. According to the World Health Organization, annually 600,000 women die due to side-effects of pregnancy and delivery; it means that 1600 women die daily and one woman dies in each minute because of progeny side-effects. The average of MMR is 200 in developing countries and it is 20 out of 1000 in developed countries. This study was done aimed to determine the rate of maternal mortality among pregnant women and the factors affecting it in the Ardabil province so that identified dominant effective factors and presented Executive Solutions for reducing maternal mortality. Methods: This study was conducted as a cross-sectional and descriptive-analysis study by using existing data in the health centre network system of Ardabil province during 2001–2011. According to the information of all maternal deaths (50 cases) in the health care system, the causes of death were extracted by study and evaluation of the documents and questionnaires about and the control group information have been collected randomly in the ratio of 1 to 4 (N = 200). Data was analyzed by using the Statistical tests as Chi-square, t2test and regression with the SPSS.20 software. Results: findings showed that the proportion of maternal deaths is 20 per 100,000 live births in Ardabil province. 70% of maternal death was direct because of pregnancy’s side-effects.68% of deaths occurred in the postpartum period. The common causes of death were respectively, the bleeding (28%), preeclampsia, eclampsia and its side-effects (16%) were thromboembolic disorders (16%) and infection (8%). The maximum number of deaths were in the years 2003 and 2011 (18%) and the minimum number of these were 2008 (zero). 72% of maternal deaths were in the age range of 18 to 35 years. 33% of mothers were illiterate and less educated (the primary school). 62% of died mothers, lived urban residents. In this study, the relationship between cares before pregnancy, suffering from different diseases during pregnancy and distance between two pregnancy times were evaluated by Logistic regression test which was significant. Conclusions: The most effective factors to reduce the maternal deaths in the province were increased coverage of pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and postpartum cares and improving its quality.