The obstetric pathology of poverty: maternal mortality in Kep province, Cambodia

To conduct a baseline assessment study of maternal mortality in the province of Kep, Cambodia.

We evaluated maternal mortality in Kep using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to women who were deemed the best respondents, and it included a verbal autopsy portion. The best respondent answered questions regarding a recent maternal death in the area, and the cause of death was identified.

Five maternal deaths were recorded in this study. Since 523 births were documented in the district for the last year, the maternal mortality rate for the province is 956/100,000. The cause of death for one woman was unknown. The other women most likely suffered from infection, eclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage and antepartum hemorrhage. The maternal mortality ratio may be an underestimate, given the stigma associated with reporting maternal deaths, especially when associated with traditional delivery practices.