Profile of maternal deaths in Maranhão: the contribution of nursing in childbirth assistance

Abstract

Maternal mortality refers to deaths of women resulting from complications related to pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. The objective of this study is to analyze the profile of maternal deaths related to obstetric complications in the context of childbirth care and to identify the contributing factors to these deaths. This is an epidemiological study, descriptive in nature and with a quantitative, time-series approach, using publicly available secondary data from health information systems. The variables analyzed included: municipality, age group, race/ethnicity, education level, marital status, type of obstetric cause, year of death, municipality, place of occurrence, group, and category of maternal deaths according to CID-10. During the study period, 1,111 maternal deaths were recorded, with the highest concentration in 2021, in the municipalities of São Luís and Imperatriz, predominantly women aged 20 to 29 years, of mixed race, single, and with 8 to 11 years of schooling. Most deaths occurred in a hospital setting and were associated with direct obstetric causes, notably hypertensive disorders and eclampsia. Therefore, it is concluded that it is necessary to improve information systems, strengthen obstetric care, and implement preventive and quality-of-care strategies to reduce maternal mortality and promote safer and more humane care.