IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON MATERNAL MORTALITY RATIO IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF RAJASTHAN: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

Objectives: Pregnancy and delivery are an important risk factor for COVID-19. The present study was carried out to see the impact of COVID 19 on maternal mortality ratio (MMR). Methods: This retrospective study was performed in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mahila Chikitsalya, and SMS Medical College Jaipur from January 2018 to December 2021. Data were collected from the hospital records and MMR was calculated for every year. The causes of death were also recorded and changing trends were noted. Results: In the present study, the MMR for the years 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 were 159.03, 112.72, 354.58, and 603, respectively, which reflects enormous increase in MMR during COVID pandemic years (2020 and 2021). Before the pandemic (2018 and 2019), maximum deaths were from direct obstetric causes (77.35%) while 22.64% maternal deaths were from indirect causes. During COVID pandemic a large percentage (53.12%) of maternal deaths were due to indirect obstetric causes, COVID pneumonitis (ARDS) being the most common cause of death. Conclusions: There was 3.59 times increase in MMR during COVID-19 pandemic in our institute. COVID pneumonitis was responsible for significant number of maternal deaths.