DEATHS AMONGST WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE GROUP IN THE GYNAECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS DEPARTMENT OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF EASTERN INDIA.

Objectives: The present study was carried out to find out the type (maternal i.e. pregnancy related / nonmaternal) of deaths occurring amongst women in the reproductive age group in the Gynecology and Obstetrics department of a tertiary care hospital in a year and to identify the cause of such deaths. Methods: A record based descriptive cross-sectional study of all reproductive aged deaths which took place in the year 2009 in Gynecology and Obstetrics department of R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, West Bengal, India was conducted in February 2010; a total of 40 such deaths were recorded. Data were analyzed by standard statistical technique. Results: Majority of the deaths (17) occurred in the age group of 20 – 24 years, followed by 8 each in the age group 15 – 19 and 25 – 34 years. Maternal deaths were 33 and the rest 7 deaths were non-maternal. Out of the 33 maternal deaths, majority (22) died in the post partum period; around 5 deaths occurred during pregnancy before onset of labour, and 3 deaths each occurred during labour and due to abortion. Out of 33 maternal deaths, majority i.e. 12 died from complications of caesarean section; 7 and 5 subjects died from eclampsia and postpartum haemorrhage respectively. Out of the 7 non-maternal deaths, 5 and 2 died from ovarian carcinoma and cervical carcinoma respectively. Conclusions: Most of the deaths were maternal. Complications of caesarean section, eclampsia and postpartum hemorrhage were some of the important causes of maternal deaths. There is a need to carry out ‘facility Based Maternal Death Review’ to investigate the cause of such deaths to prevent these in future.