Maternal mortality in Greece, 1996-2006

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Maternal mortality remains a critical global health indicator.
• Understanding trends and causes of maternal deaths is essential for targeted interventions.
• Greece lacked recent published data on maternal mortality prior to this study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze retrospective data on maternal deaths in Greece between 1996 and 2006.
• To determine the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and identify primary causes.
• To assess demographic factors associated with maternal mortality.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of demographic data and causes of death from the Hellenic Statistical Authority.
• Classification of maternal deaths by cause, maternal age, and residence.
• Calculation of the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) per 100,000 live births.

Main Results:

• A total of 29 maternal deaths were recorded from 1996 to 2006, resulting in an MMR of 2.63 per 100,000 live births.
• Hemorrhage was the leading cause of direct maternal deaths, while cardiac disease led indirect deaths.
• A slight decline in MMR was observed, with significantly higher rates at the extremes of reproductive age.

Conclusions:

• Maternal mortality in Greece is relatively low, but data publication has been infrequent.
• Identifying specific causes of maternal death is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.
• Ensuring safer motherhood requires continued monitoring and analysis of maternal mortality data.