What are the 10 leading causes of maternal death?
The major causes of maternal death are bacterial infection, variants of gestational hypertension including pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome, obstetrical hemorrhage, ectopic pregnancy, puerperal sepsis, amniotic fluid embolism, and complications of abortions. Lesser known causes of maternal death include renal failure, cardiac failure, and brain damage caused by hyperemesis gravidarum. As stated by the 2005 WHO report “Make Every mother and Child Count” they are: severe bleeding/hemorrhage (25%), infections (13%), unsafe abortions (13%), eclampsia (12%), obstructed labour (8%), other direct causes (8%), and indirect causes (20%). Indirect causes such as malaria, anaemia, HIV/AIDS and cardiovascular disease, complicate pregnancy or are aggravated by it. Complications of Hyperemesis Gravidarum also lead to maternal death.
