Objectives: To determine the trend in maternal mortality ratio at Ancash Health Region. Design: Epidemiologic descriptive retrospective study. Setting: Ancash Health Regional Directorship. Subjects: Mothers who died. Methods: DIRESA’s health services net Epidemiological Research records on maternal deaths between 1999 and 2009 and jurisdictional home maternal deaths were reviewed. Main outcome measures: Maternal death rate. Results: Analysis of 242 maternal deaths revealed decrease of maternal mortality ratio from 209/100 000 live newborns in 1999 to 90/100 000 live newborns in 2009. Maternal death was obstetrical direct type in 83% of cases, including hemorrhage that occurred in 56%, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in 19%, infections in 7% and abortion in 4%. Conclusions: In Ancash DIRESA maternal mortality ratio decreased significantly but remained high, according to internationa...

Objectives: To determine the trend in maternal mortality ratio at Ancash Health Region. Design: Epidemiologic descriptive retrospective study. Setting: Ancash Health Regional Directorship. Subjects: Mothers who died. Methods: DIRESA’s health services net Epidemiological Research records on maternal deaths between 1999 and 2009 and jurisdictional home maternal deaths were reviewed. Main outcome measures: Maternal death rate. Results: Analysis of 242 maternal deaths revealed decrease of maternal mortality ratio from 209/100 000 live newborns in 1999 to 90/100 000 live newborns in 2009. Maternal death was obstetrical direct type in 83% of cases, including hemorrhage that occurred in 56%, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in 19%, infections in 7% and abortion in 4%. Conclusions: In Ancash DIRESA maternal mortality ratio decreased significantly but remained high, according to internationa...