Maternal mortality in the Irish Republic, 1989-1991

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Maternal mortality remains a critical global health indicator.
• Understanding regional variations in maternal death causes is essential for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the number and causes of maternal mortality in the Irish Republic between 1989 and 1991.
• To provide detailed data for international comparative studies on maternal deaths.

Main Methods:

• Maternal deaths were identified using death certificates, coroners' reports, and hospital annual reports.
• Data from identified deaths were collected from clinicians and analyzed.
• Deaths were classified according to ICD-9 criteria into direct, indirect, and fortuitous categories.

Main Results:

• Nineteen maternal deaths were recorded during the three-year period.
• Deaths were categorized as 5 direct, 7 indirect, and 7 fortuitous.
• Direct maternal deaths included amniotic fluid embolism (2), eclampsia (1), septicaemia (1), and pulmonary embolism (1).
• The direct maternal mortality rate was calculated at 3.2 per 100,000 births.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a detailed analysis of maternal mortality in the Irish Republic for the specified period.
• Findings highlight the importance of comprehensive data collection for understanding and reducing maternal mortality.
• The direct maternal mortality rate offers a benchmark for comparison with international data.