Maternal mortality in a subdivisional hospital of eastern Himalayan region

This study was conducted in a subdivisional hospital of eastern Himalayan region among 5,273 pregnant women over a period of 8 years. There were 29 deaths, the maternal mortality rate was 55 per 10,000. Septic abortion was encountered in 4 among them. Direct obstetric cause was responsible in 72.41% of cases and indirect cause in 27.59% cases. Sepsis, both puerperal and postabortal resulted in 24.14% followed by postpartum haemorrhage in 20.69%. Two of these cases were associated with inversion of the uterus. Preeclampsia caused 10.34% and eclampsia 6.9% of the deaths. Among the indirect causes severe anaemia and pulmonary tuberculosis accounted for 10.34% and 6.9% respectively. Infective hepatitis was the cause in 6.9% cases. Only 17% of the cases were booked and the rest were unbooked. Majority of the cases (62.07%) belonged to the age group of 20-30 years. Primigravida constituted 41.38% of the cases.