Major determinants of maternal near-miss and mortality at the maternity teaching hospital, Erbil City, Iraq

الملخص EN

Objectives: To find out the major determinants of maternal near-miss (NM )and maternal deaths (MD s) in Erbil city, Iraq, by comparative analysis of maternal NM s and MD s.

Methods: We conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study in the Maternity Teaching Hospital in Erbil city from 1 June to 31 December 2013.

All MD s and NM s that occurred in the hospital during the study period were included in the study.

Systematic identification of all eligible women was done.

This identification included a baseline assessment of the severe pregnancy-related complications using the World Health Organization NM criteria.

Results: Severe preeclampsia and postpartum hemorrhage (PP H) constituted the highest proportions of complications in women with potentially life-threatening conditions (PLT Cs) (30.5% and 30.0%, respectively).

The highest mortality indexes were those for ruptured uterus (16.7) and severe complications of placenta previa (14.2).

Factors that were significantly associated with MD (compared to NM ) were hepatic dysfunction (p = 0.046), multiple/unspecified disorders (p = 0.003), arrival as an emergency condition by ambulance (p = 0.015), and history of previous cesarean section (p = 0.013).

Conclusions: Severe preeclampsia and PP H are the main complications that lead to PLT Cs.

Factors found to be associated with MD s are hepatic dysfunction, multiple/unspecified disorders, arrival as an emergency condition by ambulance, and history of a previous cesarean section.