[Maternal death of obstetrical origin. Medicolegal aspects]

The authors have become interested in maternal mortality. This study has been carried out solely to look at the medico-legal aspect. Increasingly good health is seen as a right and the doctor the dispenser of this service. The rights of the mother (and of the infant) become of increasing importance. The improvement in obstetrical techniques, which are much better known to the public, have made families far more confident of the results of delivery. This is now seen as something without any danger. But delivering a baby still has lots of risks. Because of this, if an accident happens the obstetrician more than any other doctor perhaps can find himself in the courts. To avoid this he has to know very well the causes of maternal mortality in order to avoid them as far as possible. Furthermore, he must not undertake stupid emergency measures often initiated as measures of desperation caused by his emotional involvement for a patient who is approaching death. Finally, the expert should look for all the causes of death so that he does no wrongly blame the doctor for a maternal death.