MATERNAL DEATHS IN BLOEMFONTEIN, SOUTH-AFRICA - 1986-1992

Objective. Determination of the maternal mortality ratio and the main causes of maternal death. Setting. Pelonomi Hospital, a tertiary care and referral hospital in Bloemfontein. Methods, Review of prospectivel y completed structured questionnaires on all maternal deaths from 1986 to 1992. Results. The maternal mortality ratio at our institution was 171 per 100 000 live births, Haemorrhage (25%), infection (24%) and h ypertensive disease (18%) were the most important causes of death, Sev enty-one per cent were direct obstetric deaths and 23% indirect; in th e remaining 6%, the cause was uncertain, Of all deaths, 35% were consi dered preventable. Conclusions. The maternal mortality ratio has decre ased since our previous report for the period 1980 - 1985, and haemorr hage has replaced infection as the leading cause of death.