Disease relevance of Maternal Mortality

• Deficiency of folate, which occurs in many marginally nourished populations, causes severe anemia, fetal wastage, frank infertility, and maternal mortality [1].
• RESULTS: Maternal mortality was 36% in Eisenmenger's syndrome, 30% in PPH and 56% (p < 0.08 vs. other two groups) in SVPH [2].
• CCR5 promoter polymorphisms in a Kenyan perinatal human immunodeficiency virus type 1 cohort: association with increased 2-year maternal mortality [3].
• As indicated by the point estimate, there was a trend towards a reduction in maternal mortality with magnesium sulphate in eclampsia (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.24-1.07, P = 0.10 versus phenytoin; OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.41-1.45, P = 0.52 versus diazepam) [4].
• CONCLUSIONS: Late gestation was associated with higher maternal mortality rates and higher benzoylecgonine levels, indicating that some underlying physiologic change enhanced cocaine's toxicity as pregnancy progressed [5].

High impact information on Maternal Mortality

• Vitamin A and beta-carotene reduced maternal mortality in a large trial; ongoing trials should provide further evaluation [6].
• During the past two to three decades, maternal mortality has been eliminated and perinatal deaths have been reduced in all classes of diabetic patients, including those with diabetic nephropathy, to a level approaching that of normal pregnant women [7].
• A harmful effect of maternal seizures on the developing embryo has not been proven, although seizures and status epilepticus account for most of the excess maternal mortality in women with epilepsy [8].
• Several international conferences, most recently the Millennium Summit in 2000, have included the goal of reducing maternal mortality [9].
• In contrast, the late-gestation groups showed a dramatic dose-dependent effect, with maternal mortality rates of 0%, 40%, and 72% in the C30, C40, and C50 groups [5].

Chemical compound and disease context of Maternal Mortality

• Eisenmenger's syndrome in pregnancy: does heparin prophylaxis improve the maternal mortality rate [10]?
• Vitamin A supplementation in pregnant women with HIV may reduce maternal mortality and improve birth outcomes [11].

Biological context of Maternal Mortality

• The Maternal Mortality Collaborative reported 601 maternal deaths from 19 reporting areas for 1980-1985, representing a maternal mortality ratio of 14.1 per 100,000 live births [12].
• In three separate studies, oral administration of fluvastatin at 12 and 24 mg/kg/day to mated rats from day 15 of gestation through weaning resulted in unanticipated maternal mortality at the time of parturition and during lactation [13].
• It was not large enough to evaluate the effects of rectal misoprostol on maternal mortality, serious maternal morbidity or hysterectomy rates in women with primary postpartum haemorrhage [14].
• Although maternal mortality has been the traditional measure used to evaluate the status of women's health in pregnancy, the Division of Reproductive Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded beyond its surveillance of pregnancy mortality to explore pregnancy morbidity [15].

Associations of Maternal Mortality with chemical compounds

• METHOD: The level of maternal mortality estimated by the sisterhood method is presented for a rural district in the Morogoro Region of Southeastern Tanzania and the main causes of maternal death are studied [16].
• The effect of vitamin A on maternal mortality could not be assesssed, as there were only three maternal deaths [17].
• Maternal mortality following the use of misoprostol [18].
• Although thrombo-embolism is currently the leading cause of maternal mortality in the UK, antenatal heparin prophylaxis is not given to all women with previous thrombo-embolism because of continued fears concerning heparin-induced osteoporosis [19].
• The maternal mortality rate was less among eclamptics delivered by Caesarean Section. Liberal use of diazepam and/or magnesium sulphate and early recourse to Caesarean Section were integral in the care of these women [20].

Gene context of Maternal Mortality

• Thromboembolic disease is a leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States. Recently, inherited resistance to activated protein C has been recognized as a major risk factor for thrombosis and has been demonstrated in 20-60% of patients with clinically evident thrombosis [21].
• During these ten years, the age standardized maternal mortality ratios (SMRs) of two regions was significantly raised, Thrace (SMR = 295, 95% CL = 187-443) and the Aegean Islands (SMR = 197, 95% CL = 117-311) [22].
• GSP patients had significantly lower Ranson criteria than NGSP (0.7 vs. 1.9, P < 0.01), but response to initial therapy, need for emergency surgery, fetal outcome, and fetal and maternal mortality (0 per cent) were the same [23].
• Maternal mortality in Cape Town, 1978-1983 [24].
• The first case of maternal mortality with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy is reported [25].

References