Abstract

Objective: To thoroughly analyze hospital based information pertaining to maternal mortalities, enumerating the causes and identifying the preventable factors.
Study Design: Descriptive observational study.
Setting: Obstetric and Gynaecology Unit-II, Holy Family Hospital (HFH) Rawalpindi.
Duration: 1st January to 31st December 2011
Methodology: A total of 21 mortalities were included in this study and they were critically analyzed by studying various demographic parameters such as age, parity, socio economic status, educational level, distance from the hospital, antenatal care, level of care and cause of death.
Results: The total number of deliveries in the year 2011, in Unit-II of Holy Family Hospital was 9098. Twenty one maternal mortalities were reported in this time period. Haemorrhage (with its resultant sequele) was the commonest cause of mortality followed by sepsis and pregnancy with hypertensive disorders. Major proportion of mortalities comprised of uneducated young woman belonging to low socio economic status and thus deprived of facilities of proper antenatal and intrapartum care.  
Conclusion: Obstetric haemorrhage, sepsis and pregnancy induced hypertensive disorders are major causes of death. Data reflect uncoordinated and poor quality health system. Majority of maternal deaths are preventable by improving primary health care system, an organized referral system, easy access and availability of skilled staff and equipment for emergency obstetric care (EmOC).
Keywords: Analysis, maternal mortalities, Holy Family Hospital.