Trends in Maternal Mortality in Federal Medical Centre, Owerri

Background: Maternal mortality remains a big problem in the developing countries. However, it has not been adequately documented in Imo State, Nigeria. Objective: To determine the trend and magnitude of maternal mortality ratio in Federal Medical Centre Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. Method: The case files of the 225 maternal deaths which occurred between January 1992 and December 2001 in the centre were identified from ward and theatre records, retrieved from the medical records department and analyzed. Results: The mean maternal mortality ratio was 1985 /100,000 deliveries during the study period and did not change significantly over the years. The commonest causes of death were hemorrhage, infection and hypertensive disorders which accounted for 37%, 27% and 17% of cases respectively. Conclusion: Maternal mortality was high and throughout the study period. The major causes are easily preventable by simple measures.