Trends and Causes of Maternal Mortality in West of Iran from 2002 to 2016: Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background The mortality rate is one of the most important indicators that represent the socioeconomic development of the country. To reduce maternal mortality rate, it is vital to recognize the trend and causes of maternal mortality. This study aimed to determine the mortality rate and causes of maternal mortality in Hamadan province from 2002 to 2016. Materials and methods The study was performed as a retrospective descriptive study in Hamadan province. To investigate the causes of mothers’ death in Hamadan province, the data were extracted from the maternal care system for 2002 to 2016. Furthermore, locally weighted scatter smoothing (LOWESS) method was used to smooth the trend of the mortality rate. The data analysis was carried out using STATA software. Results The maternal mortality rate has reduced from 35 per 100,000 live births in 2002 to 14 per 100,000 live births in 2016. The most important causes of maternal mortality in Hamadan province were bleeding and preeclampsia, Also the majority of deaths occurred in the hospital. Conclusion The rate of maternal mortality in Hamadan has a decreasing trend and is met for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) before 2030. Despite the decline, the cause of death by blood and bleeding remains as the main causes of maternal mortality. To reduce maternal mortality, all women need to be provided with the equal access to prenatal and post-pregnancy complications during pregnancy, sex education, and family planning. How to cite this article Javaheri M, Mohammadi Y. Trends and Causes of Maternal Mortality in West of Iran from 2002 to 2016: Implications for Sustainable Development Goals. J South Asian Feder Obst Gynae 2020;12(3):159–162.