Maternal deaths increase 24% during 2021; Covid, leading cause of deaths: SSA

Until the first week of October this year, the Coronavirus pandemic remained the main cause of death among pregnant women in the country, with at least 871 registered deaths, which is equivalent to an increase of 24% compared to the same period. 2020.

According to data from the General Directorate of Epidemiology (DGE) of the Ministry of Health, of the total maternal deaths registered since the beginning of 2021, in 45.5% (427 deaths) the SARS-CoV virus was confirmed as the cause of death. 2, with another 22 cases in which a death from this virus is suspected (2.3% of the total).

While non-infectious indirect maternal causes claimed the lives of 117 pregnant women (12.5%). Edema, proteinuria and hypertensive disorders that usually complicate pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium accounted for 10.3% of deaths, that is, 97 cases.

Likewise, another 89 deaths of pregnant women (9.5%) were due to obstetric hemorrhage in pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. In addition, 51 deaths have been registered due to complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium; 40 for abortion; 32 for any disease of the respiratory system that complicates pregnancy or childbirth; 19 due to sepsis and other puerperal infections.

As well as 10 deaths of pregnant women due to obstetric embolism and 6 due to obstetric trauma.

In total, up to epidemiological week 44, 938 maternal deaths were recorded. The data also indicate that the calculated maternal mortality ratio is 56.9 deaths per 100,000 estimated births, which represents an increase of 30.1% compared to the same epidemiological week of the previous year.

In addition, Edomex (120), Puebla (70), Veracruz (62), Jalisco (53) and Chiapas (52) are the entities with the most maternal deaths, since together they account for 38.1% of registered deaths.

And the states that present a Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) higher than the national one are: Campeche, CDMX, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Guerrero, Durango, Edomex, Quintana Roo, Oaxaca, Tamaulipas.

78.9% of the deaths were notified by the institution where the death occurred. The Ministry of Health (458); the IMSS (230); and private institutions (52), are where more deaths of pregnant women have been registered. While in 114 cases the women did not receive care from any medical institution.

[email protected]