Study Objective

The aim of this study is to review the causes of maternal mortality and show trends in years at Hacettepe University Hospital in Turkey.

Materials and Methods

This study retrospectively analyses 128 maternal deaths between 1968 and 2004.

Results

During this period, the maternal mortality rate was 143.4/100000 live births. The most common direct, indirect and non-maternal causes of maternal mortality were infection, cardiac diseases and neoplasms respectively. The maternal mortality rate declined from 417/100000 live birth between 1968 and 1972 to 50/100000 live birth between 1998 and 2003.

Conclusion

When precautions to some problems that may lead maternal mortality taken this will lower the maternal mortality rates.

Keywords: Maternal mortality, direct causes, indirect causes, non-maternal deaths