Maternal Mortality in Massachusetts

Abstract

To identify ways in which the safety of childbirth might be increased, we investigated the causes of death among the 886 women who died during pregnancy or within 90 days post partum ("maternal deaths") in Massachusetts from 1954 through 1985. The maternal mortality rate declined from 50 per 100,000 live births in the early 1950s to the current rate of 10 per 100,000 live births. Between one third and one half of the maternal deaths were considered to have been preventable. The leading causes of maternal death from 1954 through 1957 were infection, cardiac disease, pppregnancy-induced hypertension, and hemorrhage. In contrast, from 1982 through 1985 the leading causes of death were trauma (suicide, homicide, and motor vehicle accidents) and pulmonary embolus.