Abstract
1.1. Three hundred and eighteen (33 per cent) of 937 maternal deaths after the twenty-eighth week of gestation occurred within twenty-four hours of delivery.2.2. Two hundred and ninety-two (92 per cent) of these 318 deaths were obstetric deaths.3.3. Of the 292 obstetric deaths, 71 per cent were caused by postpartum hemorrhage, shock, eclampsia, placenta previa, placenta abruptio, and inversion of the uterus.4.4. Of the 292 obstetric deaths, 171 (58 per cent) were judged preventable.5.5. The preventability of these 171 obstetric deaths were assigned to the physician in 132 (77 per cent) and to the patient in 39 (23 per cent).6.6. Since 12,000 women die from all puerperal causes in each year in this country, should a similar ratio of preventability obtain as occurred in this study, the elimination of the immediate puerperal preventable deaths from the standpoint of the physician's education or skill would save 1,000 lives annually.
Published Version
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