[Hospitalizations during pregnancy in Spain in 1997-2007]

To study the non-delivery pregnancy associated hospitalizations in Spain during the period 1997-2007.

A descriptive epidemiological study was performed using data from the National Epidemiological Surveillance System for hospital data (Minimum Basic Data Set [MBDS]). Records of all pregnant women admitted to hospital with a pregnancy associated complication (excluding delivery) as a principal admitting diagnosis were studied.

There were a total of 4,506,449 deliveries reported in Spain during the study period (1997-2007), with a hospitalization rate of 11.86% deliveries (95% CI, 11.83%-11.89%). The principal admitting diagnoses were abortions (10%), abnormal products of conception and non-viable pregnancies (1.5%). The mortality rate was 2.35 per 100,000 deliveries (95% CI, 1.9%-2.8%) and the case-fatality rate was 0.02% (95% CI, 0.016%-0.024%). Adolescents and women over 45 years had higher hospitalization and mortality rates.

The main causes for hospitalization in pregnant women in Spain were abortions, abnormal products of conception and non-viable pregnancies. Hospitalization and mortality rates were higher in adolescents and women over 45 years, and did not vary during the study period.