Number of maternal deaths, clinical data

A maternal death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and the site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes (see ICD-10 manual, vol. 2). Normally, maternal mortality cases are reported to WHO as a part of general mortality data by cause, sex and age. However, in some countries due to the national death certification practices, the number of maternal deaths reported in this way is significantly lower (i.e. coded to another ICD code) as compared with maternal deaths registered in health establishments. These cases are usually reported separately to the Ministry of health and are available as a part of national health statistics.