Maternal mortality in the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) 1971-1982

Maternal deaths were reviewed at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) during an 11-year period, 1971-1982. There were 35,058 live births and 45 deaths making a maternal mortality rate of 128 per 100,000 live births. Hemorrhage, sepsis and toxemia were the main direct obstetric causes of death. The most important indirect causes were cerebrovascular accidents and heart disease. In this review, an analytic discussion of the direct and indirect causes of maternal death in Lebanon are presented and preventive measures are discussed.