[Do obstetric causes of death explain the differences in maternal mortality between France and Europe?]

In view of understanding why the level of maternal mortality is higher in France than in other European countries, a specific study of frequency and causes has been carried out in these 13 countries. Two different sources of data were used: the annual civil death data from national offices which are published by the WHO, and the MOMS data. It was hypothesized that the pattern of causes plays a role in the level of maternal mortality. This hypothesis was checked with results issuing from a European concerted action where deaths were classified by a European group of medical experts using identical criteria. There were apparently more cases of hemorrhage, direct obstetric causes, and indirect obstetric causes in France than in the other European countries. The higher level of indirect obstetric causes may be explained by stronger registration regulations for maternal deaths recently implemented in France. Due to the higher level of hemorrhage as cause of maternal death in France, we suggest in-depth research is needed in the near future to study prevalence and management of obstetrical hemorrhage in France.