Etiologic assessment of maternal mortality in west Azerbaijan, Iran: a retrospective descriptive study

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Background: The occurrence of maternal death threatens the family foundation and children's health. Determining factors affecting maternal mortality can help us adopt more effective strategies to prevent similar events. This study aimed to determine the factors involved in maternal deaths in West Azerbaijan between years 2007 and 2012. Methods: A descriptive retrospective study was performed. Data were collected from health vice chancellor of West Azerbaijan database. Results: According to the results of this research the average Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) was 22.38 per 100000 live births which constituted change 4.45% of overall maternal mortality in Iran. Hemorrhage was the most prevalent cause of maternal death (26.82%) followed by eclampsia, preeclampsia and pulmonary embolism, respectively. MMR was higher in 18-35 age group, unintended pregnancies and women with low socioeconomic status. Assessment of the impact of any delay in three stages (family, referral and treatment) indicated that incidence of delay in treatment stage was more prevalent than two others. Conclusions: Maternal mortality is still considerably high in West Azerbaijan. Increasing the coverage and the quality of prenatal and postpartum care, family planning counseling, and improving the skills and knowledge of the medical and midwifery staff would be effective in reducing maternal mortality rates.